Another headache for Graham Potter.
Chelsea have quite the predicament on their hands, as they have splashed the cash to bring a huge influx of players in this January but can only include three of them in their Champions League squad.
The Blues have went full Wolf of Wall Street, chucking cash at everything and everyone this past month, resulting in eight new signings in a whirlwind month.
Graham Potter managed to get steal Mykhailo Mudryk right from Arsenal’s grasp and then didn’t waste any time in snapping up Joao Felix from Atletico Madrid on loan.
They also nailed down the signatures of Benoit Badiashile from Monaco, Noni Madueke from PSV, Malo Gusto from Lyon, Andrey Santos from Vasco and David Datro Fofana from Molde.
Of course why would you stop there? There’s money to spent and records to be broken, so they went and splashed 106m on Enzo Fernandez from Benfica.
The Argentina native broke onto the global scene following his impressive performances for his country at the 2022 World Cup, and his important role in helping Lionel Messi and CO lift the trophy.
However, as Potter plans his team for their last-16 clash with Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League, the Englishman has a headache to deal with.
Chelsea will only be able to include three of their new players as UEFA’s rules require a club to register all of their new transfers on List A before the set 2nd February deadline, which will cap the squad list to 25 players.
The club submitted a 24-man list ahead of their Group E matches in the Champions League, with Potter left with only one vacant spot in his squad.
This means that they will have to eject current players who are in the Champions League squad before they can add any more of their January signings.
Mudryk and Felix are eligible to appear for Chelsea in the Champions League, despite already appearing for their respective clubs in the tournament already this season.
Homegrown players make up four of the eight ‘association trained players’ that Chelsea need in their Champions League squad but Marcus Bettinelli and 19-year-old midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka could be axed by Potter.
It is believed that the Chelsea boss will leave out Fofana and Santos, and even though Armando Broja has been ruled out for the season, the club are not allowed to remove him from their list.
Related links:
- The barely believable transfer history quiz of Chelsea football club
- Enzo Fernandez could wear two jersey numbers for Chelsea this season
- Chelsea failed with deadline day bid to sign World Cup star
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