CHELSEA'S INJURY CRISIS WORSENS BEFORE CRUCIAL LIVERPOOL CLASH
Enzo Maresca reveals Cole Palmer is among eight potential absentees for the Blues, while Arne Slot confirms goalkeeper Alisson will miss the match and the upcoming international break.
According to Enzo Maresca, Chelsea may be without eight players for their match against Liverpool on Saturday since hero Cole Palmer is still absent.
Palmer has suffered from injuries from the beginning of the season. In August, he was forced to miss Chelsea's victory over West Ham during the warm-up because of a groin issue. The England forward returned to the team last month, scoring in consecutive games against Brentford and Bayern Munich. However, two weeks ago, he hobbled off against Manchester United due to a recurrence of the groin problem.
During a news conference on Friday, Maresca provided an update on the condition of his team, stating, "Cole is still out. Trev [Chalobah] has been suspended. For tomorrow, however, we have seven or eight guys out.
"At this time, I have no updates on Cole. This week, we'll meet to assess his condition before making a decision.
In addition to Palmer's injury and Chalobah's ban, Wesley Fofana and Andrey Santos are doubtful, and Levi Colwill, Liam Delap, Dario Essugo, and Tosin Adarabioyo are also sidelined.
In addition to goalkeeper Alisson, who was substituted out of Tuesday's Champions League match against Galatasaray in the second half, Liverpool is also missing long-term absentee Giovanni Leoni.
Due to recent niggles, Hugo Ekitike and Federico Chiesa are doubtful; Ekitike left the game minutes after Alisson was substituted in Turkey, and Chiesa did not play at all.
During his Friday pregame news conference, Slot said, "Alisson is not a part of the squad tomorrow." Additionally, he will not be joining the national squad in Brazil. He will thus be absent on Saturday.
Hugo and Federico are both scheduled to work out again today; we'll see how they go. We must wait and find out their precise location following the session.
When asked if there was a timeline for Alisson's comeback, Slot responded, "That also depends on how quickly a recovery goes." He is obviously not going to play for Brazil on Saturday, and I would be shocked if he showed up for the opening match following the international break.
However, things can occasionally go a little more quickly or more slowly after that. He will not be playing for the Brazil squad in the forthcoming games; however, it's never easy to predict how many days and weeks it will take.
LIAM ROSENIOR’S "DETAILED TALKS" WITH CHELSEA LEADERSHIP REVEAL AGGRESSIVE SUMMER TRANSFER STRATEGY
Liam Rosenior confirms no Chelsea players want to leave, including Enzo Fernandez and Cole Palmer, despite UCL exit.
Liam Rosenior is currently engaged in thorough discussions with Chelsea’s leadership about their plans for the summer transfer window. Interestingly, none of the players has approached him expressing a desire to leave.
After Chelsea’s exit from the Champions League last-16 against Paris Saint-Germain, speculation swirled around Enzo Fernandez’s future, while names like Cole Palmer and Moises Caicedo have also been linked with moves away since Rosenior took charge in January. Ahead of their trip to Everton, Rosenior addressed questions about possible departures if the team misses out on Europe’s top competition again. He also spoke about the ongoing efforts to bring new players in.
“We're having very detailed talks about where we need to strengthen,” he said, referring to conversations with the sporting director team, headed by Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart. “I’ve shared my thoughts on what’s needed, and we’re mostly aligned on the approach, which is encouraging. But the priority is also handling the present properly. It’s crucial to be in a good spot now. Planning is important, but so is winning in the moment. That’s why I’m here, and I’m having positive discussions with ownership and the sporting directors about it.”
Rosenior emphasised that key players like Enzo Fernández want to remain at Chelsea. After Fernandez’s recent interview with ESPN Argentina, where he was noncommittal about his future following the heavy loss to PSG, Rosenior reached out to him personally.
“Our plans don’t hinge solely on qualifying for the Champions League; there are many variables,” Rosenior explained. “We need to make the best of the situation we’re in and stay as strong as possible. I maintain a close relationship with the players; we talk beyond football about their families and their lives. I’m particularly close with Enzo and the others. Since I arrived, no one has told me they want to leave in the summer. The focus is really on improving together as a team and figuring out what it takes to win right now.”
When asked specifically if that applies to Fernandez, Palmer, and Caicedo, Rosenior was clear: “They love it here.”
WHY ENZO FERNANDEZ REFUSES TO COMMIT TO CHELSEA’S FUTURE PROJECT
Enzo Fernandez has sparked Chelsea exit fears after refusing to commit to his future following a 2-8 defeat to PSG.
Chelsea fans barely had time to process a brutal 8-2 Champions League thrashing by PSG on Tuesday when vice-captain Enzo Fernandez stirred things up even more. ESPN Argentina asked him about his future, and instead of assurance, Fernandez left everyone guessing about whether he’d still be at Stamford Bridge next season.
His answer? “I don’t know. There are eight games left, and the FA Cup. There’s the World Cup, and then we’ll see.” Not exactly what supporters needed to hear after a rough night. Honestly, Enzo, now’s probably not the best time for uncertainty.
People have been gossiping about Fernandez’s next move for a while now. Real Madrid and PSG keep cropping up as possible destinations, despite Chelsea sources insisting they won’t sell him. He’s locked into a contract until 2032, but if he pushes for an exit, who knows if that changes.
Fernandez holds a hefty price tag of £107 million; when he arrived in January 2023, it was a British record at the time. He’s backed it up this season, stacking up 12 goals, 6 assists, and playing more minutes than anyone else on the squad.
Still, Chelsea has been searching for someone who can play that No. 10 role where Fernandez has spent most of the season. Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers is on their wishlist, though nothing’s happened yet. Rogers, 23 and once a Manchester City academy kid, has been lighting it up at Villa lately. He signed a contract extension in November, but rumours about his future just won’t die.
Rogers is definitely on Chelsea’s radar. If Fernandez leaves this summer, and really, that’s still wide open; Rogers could be a target.
You can expect Chelsea to be busy in the market soon. They need a centre-back after missing out on Jeremy Jacquet in January. Douglas Luiz was briefly considered but wound up at Villa, so midfield is still in the mix. Plus, given their attacking troubles this season, they’ll be looking to upgrade up front too.
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