Chelsea have been one of the most active clubs in Europe in the transfer window, and have a chance to get their first points of the Premier League season against Wolves on Sunday.
Enzo Maresca’s side were beaten 2-0 by Manchester City in their first game of the league season, but travel to Molineux on Sunday. The club have made huge changes this summer, including 11 signings and on Friday still had a squad of around 40 players. Some have been informed they are surplus to requirements, with Raheem Sterling training alone at home and Ben Chilwell also looking elsewhere.
The Chelsea fans expressed their displeasure with some aspects of the squad, notably the selling of home-grown talent Conor Gallagher, when they beat Servette 2-0 on Thursday in a Europa League Conference qualifier. Follow all the live action from Wolves vs Chelsea in the blog below
Wolves vs Chelsea team news
There is no Romeo Lavia in the Chelsea squad, which is presumably related to injury given the midfielder was one of their best against Manchester City.
Harry Latham-Coyle25 August 2024 12:51
Team news – Chelsea
Enzo Maresca, meanwhile, rewards Noni Madueke with a start after his goalscoring cameo against Servette. Mykhailo Mudryk also earns an opportunity on the wing with Cole Palmer, it would seem, moving into a central role.
Joao Felix is on the bench.
Chelsea XI: Sanchez; Gusto, Fofana, Colwill, Cucurella; Caicedo, Fernandez; Madueke, Palmer, Mudryk; Jackson.
Harry Latham-Coyle25 August 2024 12:49
Team news – Wolves
Let’s start with the hosts’ line-up, though, as Gary O’Neil makes a single change to his Wolves side – Matheus Cunha is promoted after featuring off the bench against Arsenal.
Wolves XI: Sa; Doherty, Mosquera, Toti, Ait-Nouri; Bellegarde, Lemina, Gomes; Cunha, Larsen, Hwang.
Harry Latham-Coyle25 August 2024 12:47
Wolves vs Chelsea
Wolves boss Gary O’Neil insisted on Friday it was “pretty much impossible” to predict the Chelsea line-up they will face this afternoon.
Chelsea have brought in 10 new players since new boss Enzo Maresca walked through the door at Stamford Bridge, including former Wolves talisman Pedro Neto.
Neto faces a quick return to Molineux on Sunday when he revisits Wolves with his new club after making his Premier League debut in their defeat to Manchester City last week.
O’Neil was interested to see whether Neto would be included to play in front of the fans that used to sing his name after he also appeared in Chelsea Europa Conference League qualifying victory over Servette on Thursday night.
He told a press conference: “It’ll be interesting to see what they do with him.
“Obviously he played yesterday, we’ll see whether he can go again on the weekend and start again on the Sunday.
“It’s pretty much impossible for me to predict the Chelsea line-up but, there are so many there.
“We know some that definitely won’t be in the team but figuring out what they’re going to do will be tough.
“We will try and give the best account of ourselves and try start the Premier League season at home with a win, which will be huge for us.”
Harry Latham-Coyle25 August 2024 12:40
New signing Joao Felix is ‘player that will help us’ says Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca
Harry Latham-Coyle25 August 2024 12:30
Enzo Maresca tells Raheem Sterling and Ben Chilwell to leave or ‘struggle’ at Chelsea
The London club secured their latest summer signing on Wednesday as Joao Felix sealed a return to Stamford Bridge, with Conor Gallagher completing a move the other way to Atletico Madrid.
It now leaves the club looking to offload perhaps as many as a dozen players before the end of the transfer window as they try to whittle down their senior playing group.
Harry Latham-Coyle25 August 2024 12:25
Raheem Sterling training at home amid bitter Chelsea fallout – as Pedro Neto takes shirt number
One player who will not be involved today is Raheem Sterling, who has been training on his own since last week after Chelsea made it clear that the England international is not part of Enzo Maresca’s plans.
Harry Latham-Coyle25 August 2024 12:15
Wolves vs Chelsea – early team news
Gary O’Neil confirmed on Friday that Wolves have no fresh injury concerns, with Matheus Cunha ready for “more minutes” after appearing off the bench against Arsenal. Nelson Semedo featured for the club’s U21s on Friday as he builds up his fitness while suspended.
Enzo Maresca made nine changes for the Conference League play-off win over Servette, but is likely to return to a similar side to the one beaten by Manchester City. Reece James remains suspended and is also dealing with a hamstring issue; Ben Chiwell and Raheem Sterling are among those training away from the first-team squad having been told they are surplus to requirements.
Harry Latham-Coyle25 August 2024 12:00
Wolves vs Chelsea
Good morning and welcome to The Independent’s live build up and coverage of Wolves vs Chelsea.
The Blues are still looking to get off the mark in the Premier League following an opening-day defeat to Manchester City, while some of their fans remain aggrieved at the signing of home favourites like Conor Gallagher.
Enzo Maresca is still finalising his first-team squad, but some players, including Raheem Sterling and Ben Chilwell have already been told they are not part of the new manager’s plans this season.
Sonia Twigg23 August 2024 15:36