The final squad list for a major tournament is one of the most honest and revealing documents a football manager can produce. It is a definitive statement of intent, a line drawn in the sand that separates the past from the future. The 28-man squad selected by new Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup is a masterclass in this ruthless clarity. While the inclusion of star names like Cole Palmer and Moisés Caicedo was expected, it is the high-profile omissions—including Raheem Sterling, Ben Chilwell, and João Félix—that tell the most compelling story.
Maresca’s first major squad selection is far more than a list of players; it is a clear blueprint for a new era at Stamford Bridge, one that prioritizes a streamlined, hungry group over big names and past reputations, and sends an unambiguous message to the club’s expensive exiles.
The £179m Exiles: Cutting Ties with a Flawed Past
The most significant headlines from Chelsea’s squad announcement were generated by the names left off the list. A senior quartet of Raheem Sterling, Ben Chilwell, João Félix, and Axel Disasi have all been excluded from the trip to the United States. Together, these players represent a staggering initial transfer outlay of approximately £179 million. Their collective omission is a brutal but necessary admission from the club’s hierarchy: these expensive investments have not worked out, and their futures lie elsewhere. By leaving them out of a prestigious global tournament, Chelsea has effectively placed them in the shop window, signaling to the rest of the football world that they are available for sale.
This decision is rooted in both sporting and pragmatic reasons. Maresca has reportedly opted against taking the maximum 35 players in order to foster a tighter, more focused, and happier group. Carrying senior players who are not part of the long-term vision can create a negative atmosphere within the camp. The club has made it clear that these exiled players will be allowed to remain on holiday before returning to Cobham to train separately, a clear sign that they are no longer part of the first-team picture. This move, while harsh, is a decisive step in drawing a line under a period of chaotic and often scattergun recruitment, allowing the new manager to build a culture with players who are fully committed to his project.
The New Guard: Immediate Integration and a Focus on the Future
In stark contrast to the high-profile exclusions, the inclusion of several new and returning players provides a clear insight into Maresca’s vision for the future. The immediate integration of new signings like striker Liam Delap and midfielders Dario Essugo and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall is a powerful statement. Maresca is not waiting to bed these players in; they are being thrown straight into the heart of the squad for a major tournament. This demonstrates a clear belief that they are ready to contribute from day one and sets a competitive tone within the dressing room—places are earned based on the manager’s current assessment, not past laurels.
The squad also signals a vote of confidence in certain returning loanees. While the majority of players who spent last season away from the club have been omitted, Brazilian midfielder Andrey Santos has successfully made it back into the main group. This indicates that his loan spell was deemed a success and that he has done enough to convince the new manager he has a role to play. The inclusion of promising academy graduates like Josh Acheampong and Tyrique George further underscores a commitment to the club’s youth pipeline. Maresca is building a squad that blends established stars with hungry new signings and the best of the club’s homegrown talent.
The Purgatory Group: Uncertainty Looms for Key Players
While the squad list provides clarity for many, for another group of players, their inclusion only adds to the uncertainty surrounding their futures. The likes of Trevoh Chalobah and Christopher Nkunku, both of whom have been linked with moves away from the club, have been selected to travel to the United States. Their presence in the squad can be interpreted in two ways. On one hand, it could be a final opportunity for them to impress the new manager and prove they deserve a place in his long-term plans. On the other hand, a major international tournament provides the perfect platform to showcase players to potential buyers.
A strong performance at the Club World Cup could significantly increase a player’s market value and attract more interest, making a potential sale more lucrative for the club. This places these players in a state of professional “purgatory”—they are part of the team for now, but their long-term future at Stamford Bridge remains very much in the balance. Their situation highlights the fluid, unsentimental nature of a modern transfer window, where even players included in a major tournament squad can still be considered sellable assets if the right offer arrives.
A Manager’s Blueprint: The Philosophy of Enzo Maresca
Ultimately, this 28-man squad is the first tangible piece of evidence of Enzo Maresca’s philosophy as Chelsea manager. It reveals a preference for a more intimate, manageable group of players, a belief in immediate integration for new signings, and a ruthless willingness to cut ties with expensive assets who do not fit his vision. By making these bold decisions before a ball has even been kicked in the tournament, he has asserted his authority and set a clear standard for the season ahead.
The squad is a blend of proven winners like Cole Palmer, hungry new arrivals, and promising young talent. It is a group designed not just to compete in the Club World Cup, but to be molded in the manager’s image. The message is clear: the era of bloated squads and underperforming, high-earning players is over. At Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea, a place in the team is earned, and the focus is firmly on building a cohesive, committed, and competitive unit for the future.
