Chelsea: Cole Palmer among three surprising omissions as Enzo Maresca’s UECL squad is announced

England international Cole Palmer has not been included in Chelsea’s UEFA Conference League squad, the Premier League giants have announced.

The PA news agency are reporting that the 22-year-old has been left out for load management purposes in a season that is scheduled to finish with Enzo Maresca ‘s side competing in the new Club World Cup.

Palmer, who has registered a goal and four assists in the Premier League this season, is one of three players to withdraw from Lee Carsley’s England squad for upcoming games against the Republic of Ireland and Finland.

Romeo Lavia and Wesley Fofana have also been left out of Chelsea ’s squad for a competition they are currently favourites to win with most online betting firms. The duo spent much of the 2023-24 campaign out through injury and the club have decided to manage their minutes.

Blues skipper Reece James was named in the squad despite currently being sidelined with a hamstring injury, but fellow England full-back Ben Chilwell was not included

Chelsea are one of 32 teams to have qualified for next summer’s Club World Cup, which is scheduled to run from June 15 to July 13.

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Chelsea star Noni Madueke is in England’s squad and he’s taken time to laud Carsley, insisting he “can’t speak more highly of him”.

“First of all, he’s a great person. He’s a really good guy, and he’s very personable.

“He has a lot of human qualities that makes you feel good and at home.

“He’s also a great tactician. He has great ideas, and he’s also able to implement the way he wants to play in your mind and make it easy for you. I feel that the top managers all have that, and that’s a quality that he definitely has as well.

“I couldn’t speak more highly of him. He won the Euros with us.

“I feel like he’s a great manager – he knows the pathway, knows the system, knows the FA, he’s been working here for a long time, similar to Gareth (Southgate) in that sense.

“I hope he can do extremely well. I know I’ve got all the belief in him, for sure.”