Chelsea named a 24-man travelling squad for the Club World Cup in June. That came just a few days after the mini transfer window shut and formed the entirety of Enzo Maresca's group stage options.

Four more flew out separately from international duty in South America and joined up. That is 28 players. None, so far, have left. One, Joao Pedro, has been added.

Jamie Gittens has arrived but is unable to play in the competition having been named in Borussia Dortmund's squad. During negotiations, that decision cost him any chance of having a role at Chelsea once the deal was eventually wrapped up, as it always looked likely to be.

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As is always the case, reports of who had not been included started to be drip fed into the media in the days prior.Djordje Petrovic, who had initially been expected to get his chance of challenging Robert Sanchez for the No.1 spot this summer, was the first.

Upon learning that he would not be promoted from high-performing loanee to starting goalkeeper, Petrovic decided it was better to focus his attention on finding a permanent move elsewhere.It also transpired that Andrey Santos would be the only returning loan star to make the step up to the first team.

Dario Essugo and Mamadou Sarr completed their transfers as agreed earlier in 2025, whilst Mike Penders was selected after coming in from Genk, a deal which was finalised 12 months ago. Other than that, it was the team Maresca ended last season with.

Wesley Fofana missed out through injury as he works towards a hopeful recovery. Players with an uncertain future still got the nod. Christopher Nkunku, widely known to be heading towards an exit, was taken along despite falling out of Maresca's Premier League plans.

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall is among those who could also leave. He is playing a bit-part role as back-up handyman but may yet move on if the right offer emerges.

This is certainly not the total extent of the Chelsea squad, though. Along with Petrovic, seven loanees have once again been placed in an effective bomb squad.More are in some sort of limbo.

Whereas Petrovic had a reasonable claim to deserve a place in Maresca's best team, or at least the squad, very few others are in the same camp.Axel Disasi, Ben Chilwell, Raheem Sterling, Armando Broja, and Joao Felix, for example, are all up for sale.

Carney Chukwuemeka is as well. He has been in America with Dortmund as a continuation of his January loan. Talks are now ongoing over extending that deal into next season.

Renato Veiga, as handy centre-back and left-back cover for Levi Colwill and Marc Cucurella and could have had a shout at being useful for Maresca (although his desire to play regular minutes in the middle is why he left six months after signing). Lesley Ugochkuwu has fallen foul to Essugo's purchase and, despite being a perfectly serviceable player, is now set to leave as well.

Mathis Amougou was bought in January as the sole permanent incoming but did not go to USA.He will instead be sent to RC Strasbourg, filling one of the three permitted loan spaces to any single club.

With so many players unwanted and on the outside of Maresca's playing group - and he as much as admitted last summer that he did not see those not named in his Premier League squad as worth thinking about or considering - it quickly becomes clear just what position Chelsea are in. For that reason, football.london has formed a functional XI of those who were not in the Club World Cup squad.

Estevao Willian is not on there as he has only just officially left Palmeiras.Meanwhile, Chukwuemeka was at Dortmund and Kendry Paez went to America to train. He was not in the squad but is instead preparing to go to Strasbourg as well.

Chelsea XI not at the Club World Cup: Petrovic; Disasi, Gilchrist, Veiga, Chilwell; Sterling, Ugochukwu, Amougou, Felix; Broja, Datro Fofana.

In total, this team cost Chelsea £237million. It includes two academy graduates. Other than Amougou, it is likely that none of them will ever play for the club again. Even Amougou has his work cut out.

Gilchrist is likely to depart after spending the year at Sheffield United in the Championship, where he started well but had a frustrating 2025 due to transfer rules and injury. Disasi could swap with him to centre-back having also played at right-back whilst at Villa.

Veiga could have left permanently in January and now has interest from across Europe in his signature. His view is to be in the Portugal squad for the World Cup next year. Chilwell is seeking a new home after finally getting a move late on in January to Crystal Palace.

Sterling did get a summer loan but struggled at Arsenal. His huge wages at Chelsea have proved hard to shift and will be tough once more. Ugochukwu has proven himself capable of being a Premier League midfielder.

Amougou has been touched upon, whilst Felix is a black hole of money after his £45million move from Atletico Madrid. Milan did not look to extend his stay and Benfica are now the favourites to offer him yet another fresh start.

Broja has been hit with fitness problems after fitness problemsand will be hoping to find a permanent place to try and kickstart his career. Fofana had issues whilst on loan and represents a chance to make easy profit on his £10million fee.

The last player to add as a possible substitute in this team is Ishe Samuels-Smith. He had been in line to make a senior breakthrough at the Club World Cup after signing a long-term contract but is now heading for a loan to get his first taste of men's football.

Earlier this year, football.london also created a Chelsea team of players yet to feature for the club. Whereas that was an XI for the future, this one is already in the past.

It is full of Premier League level players, but very few who have managed to make a case for being at Chelsea in the long run. The next challenge is to move them on quickly and efficiently.