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Chelsea have named their 30-man squad for the Premier League clash against Manchester City on Sunday, August 18. The Blues host City at Stamford Bridge in their opening game of the season.
New signings like Pedro Neto, Filip Jorgensen, Renato Veiga, and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall have made the squad. Neto has taken the number 19 jersey, previously worn by Armando Broja. The Albanian, alongside Conor Gallagher and Romelu Lukaku, haven't made the matchday list. All three players are expected to leave the club before the transfer window ends.
Trevoh Chalobah, though, has surprisingly made the squad. The Telegraph reported in August that Chalobah was barred from using first-team facilities as the Blues looked to sell the player. Enzo Maresca, however, has included the defender in his first squad as the Chelsea boss.
Here's the full list of players:
Goalkeepers: Robert Sanchez, Filip Jorgensen, Marcus Bettinelli, and Djordje Petrovic.
Defenders: Axel Disasi, Marc Cucurella, Tosin Adarabioyo, Benoit Badiashile, Levi Colwill, Trevoh Chalobah, Ben Chilwell, Reece James, Malo Gusto, and Wesley Fofana.
Midfielders: Enzo Fernandez, Lesley Ugochukwu, Carney Chukwuemeka, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Moises Caicedo, Renato Veiga, Cole Palmer, and Romeo Lavia.
Attackers: Raheem Sterling, Mykhaylo Mudryk, Noni Madueke, Nicolas Jackson, Christopher Nkunku, Pedro Neto, Marc Guiu, and Angelo Gabriel.
Chelsea star Cole Palmer speaks ahead of Manchester City clash
Cole Palmer was the star of the show for Chelsea last season. After signing from Manchester City, Palmer scored 25 goals and provided 15 assists in 45 appearances for the Blues.
He starts the 2024-25 campaign with a showdown against his former club. The 22-year-old is keen to keep up the levels he showcased last season. Palmer said ahead of the game (via the Blues' website):
"There's always room for improvement. I know it sounds cliched, but I think there is. So I'll just try to maintain it, because if I do maintain it then there won't be a bad season."
Palmer also raved about new boss Enzo Maresca, saying:
"We've got an amazing coach, so it's important to listen to the coach. He will only help me get better and improve my game. So if I listen to him and work hard, I don't see why this season can't be even better."
Maresca faces a tough challenge in his first game as the Chelsea boss. The Italian boss takes on his former club Manchester City, where he previously worked as an assistant for Pep Guardiola.
