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Chelsea are reportedly under scrutiny from the English Professional Footballers' Association for their penchant of mass banishments of players from first-team training. It came to the limelight after Raheem Sterling was told not to train under new boss Enzo Maresca.
The Blues have had another busy transfer window, spending over £230 million on 11 new players (as per the BBC), resulting in a hugely bloated squad of 55 players. That means many players, like Sterling, have become surplus to requirements, as the club need to trim their squad to 25 by August 30.
As many as 13 players - as per the Daily Mail - have been 'banished' by the Blues, a trend the PFA has called 'unacceptable'. The PFA has been in contact with these players - including the likes of Sterling, Ben Chilwell and Trevoh Chalobah - and are looking to put an end to 'bomb-squad' banishments.
However, there appears to be a grey area, as the Premier League Handbook appears to be 'vague'. FIFA seemingly also has a role to play in terms of the status and transfer of players against 'abusive conduct,' after updating their regulations in this regard.
The aforementioned 13 players cost the Blues a whopping £321 million to sign them.
What's next for Chelsea?
Chelsea appointed Championship-winning boss Enzo Maresca this summer to replace Mauricio Pochettino, who left at the end of the previous season after arriving in 2023.
Maresca, much like his predecessor, has had to work with a plethora of new signings. The Blues kicked off the new season with a 2-0 home loss to four-time defending champions Manchester City. Erling Haaland and former Blues midfielder Mateo Kovacic scored either side of half-time.
However, Maresca's side registered their first competitive win under the Italian by beating Swiss outfit Servette 2-0 at home in the first leg of their UEFA Europa Conference League play-off.
Their winning run continued with an impressive 6-2 Premier League win at West Ham United at the weekend. The Blues scored four times without reply after the break, with Noni Madueke bagging a hat-trick, Cole Palmer providing all three assists.
They next take on Servette away in the return leg of the Conference League play-off on Thursday (August 29) as a place in the finals beckons. Three days later, they host Crystal Palace in the Premier League, where they finished sixth last season.
