With Chelsea gearing it up for their FIFA Club World Cup return later on this year, the club have now officially released a provisional squad list — one that has already caused something of a stir for some of the omissions. The competition, which is to be held in the United States in summer 2025, will feature Chelsea fighting it out with 32 teams from across the globe, having qualified courtesy of their 2021 Champions League win.
Although the Blues slapped together a somewhat first-choice squad containing the likes of Reece James, Enzo Fernández, Cole Palmer, and Christopher Nkunku, fans quickly spotted key men missing from the list. Foremost among them, Ben Chilwell was absent because of the injuries that have plagued him in recent years. Highly rated youth duo Cesare Casadei and Andrey Santos, both of whom have spent time away from West Ham on loan, were not part of the decision, much to the dismay of fans who wanted to see them in and around the first team.
OFFICIAL: Chelsea have announced their squad for the FIFA Club World Cup. 🔵#FIFACWC pic.twitter.com/XczWIXE9si
Academy prospects Alfie Gilchrist and Deivid Washington made the squad, possibly signaling a lean toward youth in rotation roles. Malo Gusto, who filled in well for Reece James last season, could also feature, adding further depth for Chelsea at full-back. Marcus Bettinelli After Jordan Pickford, the spot has been more of a lottery and it says a lot that Marcus Bettinelli has been in the previous squads despite being third choice at his club.
A strong squad on paper but one that boasts a couple of surprises, reterospecting the club’s transfer plans between now and Russia surely. There were a few senior faces with uncertain futures — like Trevoh Chalobah and Armando Broja — included which may suggest they are still part of Maresca’s immediate plans amid transfer chatter.
Fit and future-based lines of thinking clearly guide much of Chelsea’s decision making. The club omitted Ben Chilwell due to ongoing injury woes, not because of any discipline-related issues or transfer concerns. After spending most of last season sidelined with a serious knee injury, Wesley Fofana also missed out—showing that the club remains far from risking an early return to first-team action.
Another obvious exclusion is Romelu Lukaku, who went on loan to Roma last season and has never been part of Chelsea’s future plans. His exclusion confirms what had long been suspected; the Belgian striker will probably never play for Chelsea again and could be sold before the tournament starts permanently.
🚨 Wesley Fofana not included in Chelsea’s Club World Cup squad. [@kierangill_DM] pic.twitter.com/RWcp3HFxis
The Club World Cup rules provide for only 23-man squads, meaning that trimming from the roll at Chelsea, which is a large senior and developmental group, was inevitably going to come with difficult choices. There might also be some decisions based on anticipated exits, with a number of fringe players tipped to leave Stamford Bridge in the summer.
On the other hand, the club shows faith in the potential impact of young midfield recruits Romeo Lavia and Carney Chukwuemeka – and that belief may prove necessary with another heavily congested season on the horizon. Their inclusion could be a sign that Maresca is intending to field a fluid, mobile midfield instead of the traditional big-names-on-the-team-sheet type of player.
Chelsea’s Club World Cup squad is a cross-section of a club in flux — ambitions, a squad overhaul and an injury picture to contend with. The absences may be fodder for debate among fans, but the logic behind many of them, it seems, is rooted in the realities of fitness and in forward planning.
Chelsea left out players such as Chilwell and Fofana to place greater emphasis on long-term recovery, while leaving out Lukaku firmly proves the club won’t feel pressured to offload their unwanted assets. The addition of young talents like Gilchrist and Lavia illustrate an emphasis on progression.
In the end, who Chelsea have taken to the Club World Cup seems a measured decision. It is just that mix between experience and youth, availability and potential that reflects Maresca’s early mark on squad management as he seeks to create a team capable of not only competing at this level but beyond this competition.
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