See who made Enzo Maresca’s 28-man Squad and players left out.
Chelsea will be part of FIFA’s inaugural Club World Cup kicking off this June 2025. The 2025 UEFA Conference League winners are set to participate in the most anticipated Sports tournament in the world at the moment – going head-to-head against the best from around the World. Head coach Enzo Maresca confirmed his squad for the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, with four new summer signings included in the team.
This 32-team tournament features the top clubs from each of the six international football confederations (UEFA, AFC, CAF, Concacaf, CONMEBOL, and OFC), and Chelsea qualified through their 2021 Champions League victory. The teams are divided into eight groups, with the top two in each group moving on to the round of 16. The final will take place on Sunday 13 July after which players can leave for short breaks before returning for the pre-season and new season coming up in August.
The Blues will travel to the USA on Friday, ahead of their opening group game against Los Angeles FC on Monday at 8pm BST, held at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. After that, Chelsea will head to Philadelphia to play two more games at Lincoln Financial Field – facing Flamengo on Friday 20 June (7pm BST) and ES Tunis on Tuesday 24 June (2am BST, Wednesday morning UK time) on their newly launched Nike away kit.
Manager Enzo Maresca has named a 28-man squad, which includes new signings Mike Penders (£17m from Genk – Summer 2024), Mamadou Sarr (£12m from Strasbourg), Dario Essugo (£18m from Sporting CP), and Liam Delap (£30m from Ipswich Town). Here is a list of the Chelsea squad (with updated squad numbers) heading to the United States this weekend:
Goalkeepers
1 – Robert Sanchez
12 – Filip Jorgensen
39 – Mike Penders
44 – Gaga Slonina
Defenders
3 – Marc Cucurella
4 – Tosin Adarabioyo
5 – Benoit Badiashile
6 – Levi Colwill
19 – Mamadou Sarr
23 – Trevoh Chalobah
24 – Reece James (Captain)
27 – Malo Gusto
30 – Aaron Anselmino
34 – Josh Acheampong
Midfielders
8 – Enzo Fernandez
14 – Dario Essugo
17 – Andrey Santos
22 – Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall
25 – Moises Caicedo
45 – Romeo Lavia
Forwards
7 – Pedro Neto
9 – Liam Delap
10 – Cole Palmer
11 – Noni Madueke
15 – Nicolas Jackson
18 – Christopher Nkunku
32 – Tyrique George
38 – Marc Guiu
Despite having a well-armored team for the competition, it is notable to mention a list of absentees in the squad. On-loan winger Jordan Sancho is set to return to Manchester United after failing to reach an agreement to make a permanent move to West London. Chelsea are to pay a £5m penalty fee for failing to make the English winger’s move permanent.
One promising player missing from Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea squad is Estevão Willian, though fans at Stamford Bridge are excited about his arrival from Palmeiras. The 18-year-old will still take part in the Club World Cup but will be playing for Palmeiras in the group stages. This was part of the agreement between the two clubs when the deal was made. After the group stages, he will officially become a Chelsea player. Still, FIFA rules say any player named in a Club World Cup squad is cup-tied for the rest of the tournament. This applies even if the player doesn’t play and only stays on the bench. So we expect to see him in a Chelsea shirt only after the tournament. Estevão Willian is expected to remain with the club when the new season kicks off.
Kendry Paez is another wonderkid that would be missed by the Chelsea fans in the United States. Chelsea recruited the 17-year-old youngster from Ecuador earlier this year and has since been nurturing him in Europe. Despite being ready to announce himself in a Chelsea shirt this summer after which his future will be decided, the Blues decided not to include him in the squad for the Club World Cup. He is set to be loaned to Bluesco’s sister club Strasbourg this summer, where he would likely have a transition similar to that of Andrey Santos.
Promising youngster Geovany Quenda will remain in Sporting Lisbon for another season before making the switch to Chelsea.
Another notable absentee is Joao Felix. Chelsea invested £45m last summer to bring the talented Portuguese back to the club after a short loan spell. However, the 25-year-old failed to make Enzo Maresca’s first team despite scoring seven times and providing two assists in 20 games in the first half of the season. He was loaned off to AC Milan in January where he had made so little contribution. The Italian side decided not to make his move a permanent one.
Stripping Joao Felix of his squad Number (No.14 given to new signing – Dario Essugo) and not requiring his services in the Club World Cup is a clear message that he no longer fits into the Club’s plan. Chelsea might opt to initially send the winger out on loan again if they fail to receive buy-out offers this summer. The 25-year-old still has 5 years remaining in his contract and is determined to make his mark in European football despite having admirers from the Saudi Pro League.
Goalkeeper Dorde Petrović asked to be left out of the 2025 Club World Cup squad to focus on his future. The 25-year-old Serbian goalkeeper who enjoyed a thrilling season-long loan to Strasbourg last season is hoping to make the next step in his career by finding a more stable situation in another club. Petrović was named in Whoscored League 1 team of the season for 2024/25 alongside teammate and Chelsea loanee Andrey Santos. His position in the squad was filled by Gaga Slonina.
Mykhailo Mudryk who was also stripped of his squad number (No.10 given to Cole Palmer) has not featured for the Blues since December 1, 2024. The Ukrainian is currently battling an alleged doping case.
The futures of Axel Disasi, Carney Chukwuemeka, Raheem Sterling, and Ben Chilwell, amongst others, are up in the air following their temporary exits from the club last season. All four have been omitted from the trip to the United States.
ARSENAL EYE OUT OF FAVOUR CHELSEA GOALKEEPER – KEPA
Arsenal have made a habit of signing players from Chelsea in recent years, and they’re close to doing it again. The Gunners are looking for a back-up goalkeeper this summer, and Chelsea have just the player they need.
This time, it’s Kepa Arrizabalaga who could be making the move from west to north London, with a £5 million deal in place. Kepa spent last season on loan at Bournemouth, and now that Neto has returned to the Cherries, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta aims to add the Spaniard to his squad. If the deal goes through, he will join the likes of William Gallas, Petr Cech, Yossi Benayoun (loan), Lassana Diarra, William, David Luiz, Jorginho, Kai Harvertz, and Raheem Sterling (loan) in transitioning from West to North London.
Kepa joined Chelsea seven years ago for £72 million from Athletic Bilbao but is now available for a much lower fee. If the move goes through, he will compete with David Raya for the No.1 spot at Arsenal.
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