Chelsea new signings in danger of missing Champions League squad after January transfer window
Six players have joined the Chelsea roster so far during the January transfer window, which has already been a month of significant upheaval. Todd Boehly is looking to add more players to Graham Potter’s squad, so they may not be done yet.
Mykhailo Mudryk, Joao Felix, and Noni Madueke have been brought in to bolster the attacking line, while Benoit Badiashile’s arrival from Monaco has already been felt with two consecutive clean sheets.
Andrey Santos and David Datro Fofana have also agreed to move to Stamford Bridge, providing the club with players for the future. However, the large number of new players does raise questions about the team’s viability.
In February, Chelsea will begin their Champions League campaign against Borussia Dortmund in a two-legged match.
Prior to these two games, they must submit an updated squad list for the knockout stage of the competition, but they are only permitted to make a limited number of changes from the group stage.
Both a “A” list and a “B” list exist for UEFA competitions. Clubs are permitted to have a maximum of 25 players on their A list and an unlimited number on their B list, which is comprised of players born on or after January 1, 2001, and who have been eligible to play for the club for at least two years since their 15th birthday.
Lewis Hall, Charlie Webster, and Armando Broja were all ‘B’ list players in the group stages.
After naming only 24 players to their ‘A’ list, Chelsea have one remaining group stage position. In order to use a full complement of three new players in the knockout rounds, they would need to remove two additional players.
Given their lack of experience at that level, Datro Fofana and Andrey Santos are the most likely candidates to be left out of the squad. One option, albeit improbable, would be to remove one of their three goalkeepers from the list, as clubs are only required to name a minimum of two.
Although Edouard Mendy is currently unavailable due to a broken finger, it seems unlikely that Potter would risk having only one goalkeeper available should another injury or suspension arise.
Mudryk, who was acquired from Shakhtar Donetsk for £88 million, appears to be the most likely of the new signings to be included in the team. The attacker made an immediate impact in his debut against Liverpool, appearing dangerous during his brief cameo.
Felix will not play again for the Blues until at least February 11, four days before the first leg against Borussia Dortmund, due to his red card on his debut against Fulham. As the futures of Hakim Ziyech and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang are uncertain, Potter faces the dilemma of whether to remove another attacker in order to bring him in.
Both Madueke and Badiashile could make a case for being the third player added to the group stage roster. This season, Chelsea’s offense has struggled to score goals in the Premier League, scoring just 22 times in 20 games. Badiashile has had a strong start at Stamford Bridge, but Wesley Fofana is about to return from injury for the Blues.
Fofana was acquired from Leicester in the summer for £70 million, but has made only four appearances for the club. Since he has been on the ‘A’ list since the beginning of the season, it seems unlikely that Potter would remove a player in order to add another center-back.
The recent decline in form of Kalidou Koulibaly could put him in jeopardy if the manager believes Badiashile is a better option for the team.
Chelsea new signings in danger of missing Champions League squad after January transfer window
