Enzo Maresca has a robust squad to kick off Chelsea's pre-season preparations . Despite the Euro 2024 and Copa America taking place this summer, a significant portion of the Blues' first team has been back at Cobham since Monday.
A few players are yet to return due to their international duties over the past month, but Armando Broja and Djordje Petrovic seem to have rejoined the first-team squad after their stint at Euro 2024 . A picture of Broja was shared on Chelsea's X account on Thursday afternoon, while Petrovic was seen in a video of goalkeepers participating in a training drill posted on Friday morning.
As for those yet to return, do Maresca and Chelsea still need to make decisions about them this summer when it comes to shaping his ideal first-team squad?
READ MORE: Man City offer could give Arne Slot biggest Liverpool boost yet as transfer worry eased
READ MORE: Liverpool transfer news LIVE: Nico Williams hope, Darwin Nunez ban, Adrien Rabiot approach
Romelu Lukaku will be back at Chelsea this summer following his loan spell at Roma and participation in Euro 2024 with Belgium. The 31-year-old striker had a solid season with the Giallorossi, netting 21 goals and providing four assists in his 47 appearances across all competitions.
Lukaku is rumored to be considering a move back to Italy this summer, with former Chelsea manager Antonio Conte keen to take him to Napoli. It's clear that the ex-Everton striker doesn't have a long-term future at Stamford Bridge, despite Thomas Tuchel having been so desperate to sihgn him, and it seems inevitable that he'll be on the move before the transfer window closes.
With his contract in west London set to expire in the summer of 2026, it would make sense for Chelsea to sell him permanently soon, as his transfer value will only decrease if he stays beyond the summer window. The decision seems straightforward for Maresca and Chelsea when it comes to Lukaku.
The situation with Conor Gallagher is less clear-cut. The England international was rumored to be leaving last year due to interest from Tottenham, with Liverpool mentioned too , but he stayed put in SW6 and became a key player in Mauricio Pochettino's team.
The 24-year-old played in 37 out of 38 Premier League games for Chelsea and often wore the captain's armband, stepping up when Reece James and Ben Chilwell were sidelined. However, the fact that Gallagher is now in the final year of his contract could potentially lead to a departure this summer.
Chelsea is in a precarious position with one of its key players, facing the prospect of either selling him for a reduced fee in January or losing him for free next summer. The only other options are to sell him before the August transfer deadline or secure him on a new long-term contract at Stamford Bridge. The situation will become clearer in the coming weeks.
Chelsea needs a new striker, but it seems that Broja's future may not be at Stamford Bridge unless there's an unexpected change in Maresca's plans. So far this summer, he's been linked with a move to Everton, so Chelsea should have plenty of options if they decide to let the 22-year-old go.
Petrovic is another player whose future at Chelsea is uncertain. Maresca needs to decide where Petrovic fits into his squad. The Serbian began last season as Chelsea's second-choice goalkeeper but found himself in goal following an injury to Robert Sanchez.
Petrovic continued his stint in goal following his brief appearance in the 2-0 loss to Everton last December, and he'll be keen to maintain that position as we head into the new season. However, a change in management could see Sanchez reclaiming his spot ahead of Petrovic.
It's not out of the question that the Blues might be on the hunt for a new goalkeeper before the 2024/25 season kicks off. Only a handful of positions in the Chelsea squad seem secure, with the goalkeeping slot very much available in Maresca's Blues line-up.
Liverpool.com says: Lukaku is a symbol of the transfer failings at Chelsea. What could have been a success story for youth recruitment and strong selling, two things Liverpool also does very well, ended up as an indictment of the senior-level transfer policy.
The striker position has been a perennial problem at Chelsea, and the return of Lukaku has been ill-fated. He's ended up as something of an albatross, and the only question is just how badly the Blues will need to cut their losses.
This article was created with the help of AI tools.
Most Popular
Comments / 0