Tuchel set to be without 18 Chelsea stars ahead of pre-season training
At Chelsea’s training facility in Cobham, the first-team building has been empty for the past four weeks. The majority of Thomas Tuchel’s team has either been abroad on international duty or on vacation, with the exception of a few players who have come in to concentrate on their recovery and rehabilitation after injuries.
At the beginning of next month, everything will change. The first set of Chelsea players will return to training on July 2 under Tuchel’s direction. Trevoh Chalobah, Ben Chilwell, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Callum Hudson-Odoi, and Hakim Ziyech are just a few of the well-known stars who will be taking part.
Tuchel is also anticipated to give a few returning loanees a chance to make an impression. After successful campaigns in the Championship with Hull City, Huddersfield Town, and Blackpool, respectively, Nathan Baxter, Levi Colwill, and Dujon Sterling will return. Meanwhile, Tino Anjorin is expected to participate and Tuchel is a fan of him because of his work during the 2020–21 season.
A few recent academy graduates might also be given the chance to stand out. It’s possible that Xavier Simons, Lewis Hall, Harvey Vale, and Jude Soonsup-Bell, who all saw action with the first team last season, will once more be promoted to practice with the senior players. This is especially likely given that the Development Squad will be back earlier than Tuchel.
Before the first-team squad departs for the United States on July 9 for Chelsea’s preseason tour, this initial group will be put through its paces at Cobham for a week. Before games against Club America in Las Vegas, Charlotte FC in Charlotte, and Arsenal in Orlando, the Blues will spend nearly a week in Los Angeles.
Tuchel will work with a full roster for the first time in Los Angeles. As of right now, Kepa Arrizabalaga and Marcus Bettinelli are both part of Chelsea’s goalkeeping group, along with Edouard Mendy, who football london understands is in line for a new deal.
Thiago Silva and Reece James will take part. And if neither Marcos Alonso nor Cesar Azpilicueta have moved to Barcelona, they will as well. Emerson Palmieri will also be back after spending the 2021–2022 season on loan at Lyon in Ligue 1. The Italian international was not permanently signed by the French team.
Jules Kounde would have met up with his new colleagues in the United States if his eagerly anticipated transfer from Sevilla had been completed. The 23-year-old underwent surgery earlier this week to address a minor pelvis issue; nevertheless, it is unclear whether he would be prepared to use the UCLA training fields.
With the return of Jorginho, N’Golo Kante, Mateo Kovacic, Conor Gallagher, Billy Gilmour, and Ethan Ampadu, the midfield will be restocked. The last three spent the previous campaign on loan, and if they choose to stay with Chelsea for preseason, they will have something to prove to Tuchel.
Up to the arrival of the foreign players, Chelsea’s assault will likewise remain modest. For the nations this month, Mason Mount, Kai Havertz, Timo Werner, Christian Pulisic, Armando Broja, and Romelu Lukaku all participated in matches. The latter, though, is determined to go through with a transfer to Inter Milan.
This summer, Tuchel plans to upgrade his front line, and Chelsea has discussed a free move with Ousmane Dembele’s representatives from Barcelona. The France international could be a part of the first squad that returns to Cobham on July 2 if he were to sign with the Blues before preseason because he was not chosen for France’s Nations League matches this month.