Chelsea have already lost to Man City in pre-season (Image: Getty)
Chelsea have once again proved to be one of the busiest Premier League teams in the transfer window, with the majority of the Blues’ business done and dusted.
For the second season in a row, there’s a new manager stepping into the dugout as Enzo Maresca prepares for a tough test against champions Manchester City.
The Italian won’t need any reminders about the talents Pep Guardiola’s side have, as he worked as an assistant to the Catalan until the end of the 2022-23 campaign. His Chelsea side were also soundly beaten 4-2 by a youthful City XI in their pre-season clash on Saturday.
There is no doubt it will take their seven summer arrivals some time to adjust to their new surroundings. But Maresca would like nothing more than to start the season – and his Chelsea reign – on a winning note on August 18 after spending £94.5million.
With Conor Gallagher poised to join Atletico Madrid and other departures expected, however, the west London club could yet pull off a late marquee signing before the season starts.
Express Sport looks at how Chelsea could line up for their first game at Stamford Bridge in under two weeks’ time.
Filip Jorgensen arrived from Villarreal in a £20m deal (Image: Getty)
Goalkeeper: FILIP JORGENSEN
Incredibly, Maresca still has nine goalkeepers to choose from for their Premier League opener. But there isn’t much chance of their £20m new boy Jorgensen being left out as the Dane is thrown straight in at the deep end.
Robert Sanchez has leaked eight goals in three and pre-season games, while Djorde Petrovic left at home amid uncertainty over his future at Stamford Bridge.
Kepa Arrizabalaga is on his way out of the club and won’t make the squad, with Chelsea set to hand his squad place to one of their new signings.
Tosin Adarabioyo signed on a free transfer from Fulham (Image: Getty)
Defenders: Reece James, TOSIN ADARABIOYO, Levi Colwill
The defence is where positions will be up for grabs, with only James assured of his place under Maresca as a wide centre-back.
Adarabioyo’s height will come in handy in dealing with Erling Haaland and the centre-back is trusted to bring the ball out from the back, while there are question marks over Wesley Fofana and Benoit Badiashile’s involvement.
Levi Colwill has been preferred as the left-sided centre-back over Badiashile and looks set to continue in that role. Marc Cucurella’s late arrival back to the squad meaning he will be on the bench, along with the out-of-favour full-back Ben Chilwell.
Moises Caicedo is a mainstay in the Chelsea team (Image: Getty)
Midfielders: Moises Caicedo, Malo Gusto
Caicedo’s role in the team has only increased in importance now that Gallagher is on his way out.
The Ecuadorian must bring the ball out from the back better than he did in their pre-season defeat and for that, he will have the inverted full-back Gusto to provide some defensive support in the double pivot.
New signing Renato Veiga has been only used sparingly so far since his £12m switch from FC Basel and the 20-year-old is far from first-team action.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall reunited with Enzo Maresca at Chelsea after a £30m move (Image: Getty)
Attackers: Cole Palmer, Enzo Fernandez, KIERNAN DEWSBURY-HALL, Christopher Nkunku
Chelsea’s strongest area of the pitch lies within their creativity, which will only be boosted by the recent £30m signing of Dewsbury-Hall from Leicester. But competition for places is fiercer than ever.
Dewsbury-Hall knows the Maresca blueprint better than anyone else and that’s why he could get the nod over Romeo Lavia, despite the Belgian’s handful of appearances in pre-season.
Raheem Sterling, Noni Madueke and Mykhaylo Mudryk may have to settle for the bench if retaining possession is prioritised from the start, with Nkunku and Dewsbury-Hall interchanging out wide and Palmer a guaranteed starter if he is match-fit.
Teenage playmaker Omari Kellyman, 19, has been injured since arriving from Aston Villa and won’t feature until he’s fit.
Victor Osimhen is waiting for Napoli to decide his future (Image: Getty)
Striker: VICTOR OSIMHEN
Chelsea will be going all out to try and snatch Osimhen from under the noses of Arsenal and PSG this summer, according to The Athletic, with Napoli’s interest in Romelu Lukaku giving them the upper hand in negotiations.
Should they fail to land the Nigerian, who could cost up to £85m while Lukaku heading in the other direction, the Blues may step up their interest in Atletico Madrid’s Samu Omorodion.
Nicolas Jackson has been struggling for fitness during pre-season and hasn’t featured, so expect the Senegalese to take his place on the bench.
Marc Guiu has impressed in his first games in a blue shirt, but the Spaniard is still only 18 and can’t be expected to start games of these magnitude just yet. He could be an option if Chelsea need a goal late on.
Source: https://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/1932335/Chelsea-predicted-lineup-Man-City