New Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has admitted that an alarming number of players have been excluded from training due to the sheer size of the club’s squad.
Chelsea have been highly active during the 2024/25 summer transfer window, bringing in eight new players while continuing to keep an eye on others, such as Napoli striker Victor Osimhen.
These new signings have swelled Chelsea’s squad to an impressive 43 players, which still includes names like Romelu Lukaku and Kepa Arrizabalaga.
Now, Maresca has addressed the issue in a media briefing, acknowledging that he has had to prevent a significant number of players from attending training sessions to manage the squad’s size.
In a press conference held ahead of Chelsea’s Premier League opener against Manchester City, Maresca disclosed that 15 players are currently not training with the main group.
Speaking to the press on Friday, the manager stated, “At the moment, if I start to think I have 43 players, it is not a good thing. I have 28 training with me.”
“[Co-sporting directors] Paul [Winstanley] and Laurence [Stewart] are responsible for finding solutions for these guys, not me.”
The players currently training at the Cobham Training Centre are the 28 who accompanied Maresca on the US tour, and only these players will be considered for the upcoming match against Manchester City on Sunday.
As a result, England international Conor Gallagher will not be available for the crucial game, as the 24-year-old had traveled to Madrid to finalize a transfer to Atletico, only for the deal to fall through at the last moment.
Discussing Gallagher’s situation, Maresca said, “Conor is back… He is training apart. He is undergoing some medical tests and doing some training. He won’t be involved in the game. At this moment, he is trying to find a solution with the club.”
While Chelsea is expected to complete at least one more signing before the transfer window closes on August 30, it is also anticipated that several players will leave the club in the coming weeks.
Napoli is reportedly interested in including Lukaku in any deal for Osimhen, while several clubs in the Saudi Pro League are considering making a bid for Arrizabalaga.