Chelsea have left Cole Palmer, Ben Chilwell, and two others out of their Conference League squad. Palmer, along with midfielder Romeo Lavia and defender Wesley Fofana, are being rested to manage their workload, with the team potentially facing around 80 matches this season across five competitions.
Palmer is being given a break during the league phase of Europe’s third-tier competition, while Lavia and Fofana are working back from injuries. They can be re-registered for the knockout stages on February 6. Young players Cesare Casadei, Carney Chukwuemeka, and Marc Guiu have been chosen to take their places.
Chilwell, on the other hand, has been dropped and is reportedly on the outs at Stamford Bridge. Manager Enzo Maresca has told Chilwell he doesn’t have a future with the team, and the defender has been offered to several Premier League clubs. It's uncertain if Chilwell will even train with the first team or if he’ll be moving to Turkey, where the transfer window is still open.
Chelsea have faced criticism for their large squad, which at one point included 42 senior players. They’ve since sold some, leaving about 36 players, including some from the academy.
In related news, Tottenham have excluded defenders Djed Spence and Sergio Reguilon from their Europa League squad due to a shortage of club-trained players. Spence is back in the first team after loan spells, but Reguilon may be on his way out.
