Chelsea

The countdown to the World Cup is well and truly on, so here's a reminder of the Blues selected to represent their countries from 11 June to 19 July.

The expanded 48-team competition is set to be the biggest in history, with the United States, Canada and Mexico hosting.

Chelsea's World Cup contingent:

• Moises Caicedo (Ecuador)

• Marc Cucurella (Spain)

• Enzo Fernandez (Argentina)

• Malo Gusto (France)

• Jorrel Hato (Netherlands)

• Nicolas Jackson (Senegal)

• Reece James (England)

• Pedro Neto (Portugal)

• Kendry Paez (Ecuador)

• Mike Penders (Belgium)

• Mamadou Sarr (Senegal)

Take a dive into each of the 48 squads here

Read more about the World Cup squads in numbers

Find out more about how to follow the competition on the BBC

Click here to download your World Cup 2026 wallchart

La Liga sides Atletico Madrid and Barcelona are best positioned to make a move for Chelsea's Marc Cucurella, with the defender keen on a change of scenery after four years at Stamford Bridge. (Marca - in Spanish), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Tuesday's full gossip column

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Shamoon Hafez
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester City and Chelsea remain locked in negotiations about Enzo Maresca replacing Pep Guardiola.

Guardiola announced on 22 May he would step down as City boss after a trophy laden decade in charge, and Maresca was quickly identified as the leading contender to be his replacement.

Talks are at an advanced stage, with senior figures at both clubs discussing a compensation package for Maresca.

The 46-year-old won the Club World Cup and Conference League during his time at Stamford Bridge but left in January and is keen to take the City job.

Chelsea feel they are due compensation under the terms of Maresca's departure as he was contracted to the club until 2029 and left just six months ago.

The London club have been exploring their legal options and expect a compensation package to be paid, though it remains unclear both how much that might be, or when it will be resolved.

Compensation negotiations have been made more complex as Chelsea became aware of City's potential interest early in October and December.

Maresca was an assistant to Guardiola during City's Treble-winning 2022-23 campaign and played a key role in the club's academy prior to joining the first team.

Nizaar Kinsella
Chelsea reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Chelsea forward Omari Kellyman is set for another loan move this summer.

The 20-year-old suffered a series of hamstring injuries, culminating in surgery, after his £19m move from Aston Villa at the start of the 2024-25 season.

Kellyman scored 11 goals and provided two assists in 36 matches while on loan at Cardiff City, helping the League One side secure promotion, while carefully managing his minutes to rebuild his fitness.

That form has provided him with a platform for another loan at a higher level, with potential options in Europe being considered.

However, any overseas move may be limited by Fifa regulations, which allow a maximum of six international loan slots per club.

Kellyman is also attracting interest from a number of Championship clubs, and Chelsea are keen for him to continue gaining experience and proving his fitness next season before returning to Stamford Bridge.

Nizaar Kinsella
Chelsea reporter

Image source, AFP via Getty Images

Chelsea goalkeeper Gabriel Slonina is looking to leave this summer and has been made available for sale in order to get his career back on track.

The 22-year-old has not made a single appearance at Stamford Bridge since his £10m move from Chicago Fire in 2022.

He served as the third-choice option over the past season but is now being allowed to seek a permanent exit from the club over his lack of playing time.

Multiple clubs across Europe have expressed an interest, although it remains a negotiation to secure an asking price at a level Chelsea are happy with but that doesn't deter suitors.

Slonina, who holds a Polish passport to ease any move to Europe, has had loan spells in League One at Barnsley and in Belgium at Eupen.

Change is inevitable at football clubs during the summer months and we want to ask you something specific about your club's squad.

Tell us:

One player who should be kept who may be on the fringes and why?

One player who should be loaned out

One player who should be sold

We would love names and reasons for all three - Get in touch with your views here

Image source, Getty Images

We asked for your views on what one thing needs to change at Chelsea before the new campaign and why.

Here are some of your comments:

Scott: Very simply I think what needs to change most at Chelsea is discipline around the club. Player power, bad attitudes, red cards, 'I'm bigger than the club' - all this nonsense has to stop.

Adam: Delap gone for a start, along with the two left wingers we have. Penders to start, and sadly, we are in a position after spending billions that half the squad still needs improving.

Kazuki: Management needs to continue showing that they are learning from their mistakes. Signing Alonso was a great step in the right direction, but if they do not sign an experienced player whom Alonso wishes to sign and sign another young winger instead, then that might mean we may need to get ready for another frustrating season. As long as management learns, then it'd be far better than replacing them. We know that from the Abramovich era.

Steve: As a long-time supporter, I honestly don't know what "the plan" is and what the steps and relevant timetable is. I feel so distant from the club I have known for nearly all my life. We have a stadium that is below optimum capacity for the Premier League and where I sit in the East Stand is over 50 years old and it feels it. There is some grand talk but no detail. Just tell us what your intentions are and stop treating us like strangers.

David: I'd like us to begin acting like a competitive football club again rather than as a player-trading business. The owners need to understand and embrace our footballing culture and stop thinking they know better than other US owners who own Premier League clubs. A big part of it is that they have to stop interfering. Bring in top execs and let them run the club, just as Man City, Liverpool and Arsenal have. Immediate steps by August would include the hiring of a top sporting director to work alongside Alonso, a major reduction in the huge number of players on the books and, using the fees generated to sign two or three very competitive, experienced players in their late 20s. We have to start to change the culture of the club this summer because if we don't I really fear for the future of the club.

Nizaar Kinsella
Chelsea reporter

Image source, Getty Images

New manager Xabi Alonso visited Chelsea's training ground earlier this week with his coaching staff to familiarise himself with the club's set-up.

Alonso, 44, will formally join Chelsea on 1 July but visited the base in Cobham to better understand the environment so he can hit the ground running when he begins his role.

He was joined by his coaching staff - Sebastian Parrilla, Alberto Encinas, Benat Labaien and Ismael Camenforte Lopez - to meet various departments at the club, assess what is already in place and decide whether any adjustments are needed before his arrival.

It is already known, for example, that Alonso and his staff will work alongside former interim head coach Calum McFarlane, goalkeeping coach Ben Roberts and set-piece coach Bernardo Cueva next season. There are also established structures in place around data, medical and performance at the training ground.

It has been stressed that his visit was not related to transfer strategy.

Alonso, who has been appointed as a manager rather than a head coach, remains in regular dialogue with the club's hierarchy over potential incomings and outgoings, although this does not require him to be on site.

Alonso's formal unveiling is expected in the following weeks. Pre-season will begin in a staggered manner because of the World Cup, while a tour of Australia and Asia starts on 25 July in Sydney and ends with a match in Malaysia on 11 August.

Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella is exploring a move away from Stamford Bridge, with Atletico Madrid set to make an opening offer for the Spain international. (Teamtalk), external

Juventus want at least 30m euros (£26m) for 26-year-old Italian full-back Andrea Cambiaso, who has been linked with Chelsea and Barcelona. (Calciomercato - in Italian), external

Meanwhile, AIK Stockholm say they are in talks to sell 18-year-old Nigerian winger Zadok Yohanna, who has been linked with Chelsea, Brighton and Newcastle United. (Northern Echo), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column

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Chris Collinson
BBC Sport statistician

With all 48 World Cup squads now confirmed, we look at how they shape up and compare with each other leading into the tournament.

Which clubs have the most players?

Looking just at the 20 clubs that made up the 2025-26 Premier League, only this season's top three have more players at the World Cup than Conference League winners Crystal Palace (12).

Including players out on loan over the season, Sunderland remarkably have as many representatives on the global stage as Chelsea and Liverpool (11), showing just how globe-trotting their recruitment was following promotion last summer.

The majority of Brentford, Everton and Leeds' squads can put their feet up and recharge their batteries for next season, with those clubs sending just four players each.

• Get more key stats on participation

The 2026-27 Premier League season will be here before we know it, with the first matches taking place on Saturday, 22 August.

We have a simple question for you - what one thing needs to change at your club before the new campaign and why?

It can be a player, manager, ticketing issue, owner, or wider change.

Let us know in detail here

Chelsea supporters have welcomed the club's decision to freeze prices on both season tickets and match-by-match seats next season., external

The club said upon announcing the freeze that it will now focus on "improving our ticketing policies to make the system fairer".

Chelsea Supporters' Trust said it was a "significant and positive decision" which showed the club had listened to fans.

In May, the Supporters' Trust rejected proposed changes to a new ballot system.

Chelsea and Manchester City are interested in Juventus' wing-back Andrea Cambiaso, 26, with Barcelona also monitoring the Italy international's situation. (Gazzetta dello Sport - in Italian), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Wednesday's full gossip column

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Image source, CHELSEA FC

Chelsea have unveiled their new home kit for the 2026-27 season, which features a "refreshed" club crest.

The Blues have opted for a "midwest gold" coloured lion which has been interwoven into a "distinctive" two-tone blue colourway.

The retro-look shirt also features a polo collar and button-down neck, with matching blue shorts and white laurel wreath motif socks completing the look.

Chelsea said: "The 2026-27 campaign is the 75th season since Ted Drake took over as manager and reshaped the club's identity. He replaced the Pensioners nickname with the Blues - and the now-iconic lion symbol was introduced."

After missing out on European football in 2025-26, the Blues' strip will only feature in the Premier League, FA Cup and Carabao Cup.

Chelsea have rejected multiple approaches for defender Josh Acheampong.

The 20-year-old is a graduate of the academy at Stamford Bridge and as reported elsewhere has been given 'untouchable' status in terms of his future.

It remains unclear whether Acheampong, whose Chelsea contract expires in 2029, is looking for a move away from the club.

However, Arsenal, Newcastle and Crystal Palace are known to be monitoring the situation while Bournemouth also retain an interest in Acheampong from last summer.

Marc Cucurella's future at Chelsea is in doubt after several clubs contacted the left-back's representatives over a move away from Stamford Bridge. Atletico Madrid, Barcelona and Real Madrid are said to be among those interested in the 27-year-old Spain international. (The Athletic - subscription required), external

Manchester United want to offload Marcus Rashford to help new head coach Michael Carrick's transfer budget and, while Chelsea, Arsenal, Newcastle and Tottenham are monitoring the situation, the club are reluctant to sell him to one of their top-flight rivals. (Mirror), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Tuesday's full gossip column

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Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham,Liverpool and Newcastle are all interested in AC Milan's Portuguese winger Rafael Leao with the 26-year-old keen to leave San Siro this summer. (Calciomercato - in Italian), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Monday's full gossip column

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Nizaar Kinsella
Chelsea reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Everton are still weighing up whether to trigger Tyrique George's option-to-buy clause this summer following his loan spell from Chelsea.

The 20-year-old forward's future remains unclear, as does the value of the option, although it could be in a similar ballpark to the £22m fee agreed with Fulham on deadline day last summer.

George made just one start in 11 appearances at Hill Dickinson Stadium but, at times, looked impressive from the bench.

When asked about his future and that of Manchester City loanee Jack Grealish last week, Everton boss David Moyes replied: "At the moment, they go back to their clubs and we'll take it from there.

"As the summer goes on, we'll decide what path we're going to take on both of them. We like Tyrique, obviously we like Jack a lot – but we've not got an answer [yet].

"We've enjoyed having Tyrique here – he's been an excellent boy and his work-rate and everything has been excellent, so we're happy with him."

Chelsea have been looking to sell George during the past two transfer windows and would be likely to consider suitable similar offers in future.

The Stamford Bridge club still need to raise funds through player sales because of their Uefa settlement agreement and, as an academy graduate, George would represent pure profit in the club's accounts, increasing the incentive to sell the homegrown winger.

Multiple sources have denied rumours that manager Xabi Alonso has spoken to George, or any other player, before the new season to assure them they are part of his plans.

Image source, Getty Images

We asked for your views on which players Chelsea should sign from the three relegated Premier League sides - Wolves,Burnley and West Ham United.

Here are some of your comments:

Oliver: Jarrod Bowen is an obvious answer, same with Mateus Fernandes, who could be a great replacement for Enzo Fernandez if he goes to Madrid. Bit of an unusual one here but Kyle Walker could be a possibility as he adds some much-needed experience, as well as someone who can be a cover for Reece James.

Fossie: Sign Bowen from West Ham as he's far more effective than either Pedro Neto or Alejandro Garnacho.

Alex: Absolutely no-one please! They were relegated for a reason, just not good enough for the league or Chelsea.

Gillian: I wouldn't mind seeing Walker from Burnley as he is older and has plenty of experience of winning from his time at Manchester city. I also think Hugo Bueno and Mateus Mane from Wolves would be a good fit.

Chris: I can only think of two players from the relegated clubs that I would consider and that would be Bowen and Fernandes from West Ham. I think that both would have a positive effect on our current squad.

John: Jose Sa from Wolves as a back-up goalkeeper. Bowen from West Ham as a replacement for Neto. Have Axel Disasi back as back-up centre-back.

Paul: I think Bowen from West Ham would be good for us. A pro with skill, fight and leadership experience. His energy among our young lads is just what's needed.

Ford: Crysencio Summerville would be a great signing to replace Garnacho.