Feature

2024/25 club preview: Chelsea

2 Aug 2024
Chelsea lineup

Can the Blues challenge for the top four under new head coach Enzo Maresca?

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Football writer Alex Keble assesses each Premier League club and their prospects for the 2024/25 season.

Chelsea

Another year goes by – another manager too – and Chelsea are still seeking consistency and a return to the top. The turnover of managers and players continues and, after enjoying such a prolonged period of success, the Blues have now gone seven years without challenging for the Premier League title - or even surpassing 74 points.

Despite finishing sixth last season it wasn't their aim. Indeed, the departure of head coach Mauricio Pochettino this summer suggests it’s back to square one. The new boss Enzo Maresca, who led Leicester City to promotion from the Championship to the Premier League last season, has a big job on his hands.

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Performance last season

Premier League

Position Pos Club Played Pl GD Points Pts
5 Spurs TOT 38 +13 66
6 Chelsea CHE 38 +14 63
7 Newcastle NEW 38 +23 60
8 Man Utd MUN 38 -1 60
View More

FA Cup: Semi-final
EFL Cup: Runners-up

Last five seasons
Season League position 
2019/20  4th
2020/21  4th
2021/22  3rd
2022/23  12th
2023/24  6th
Best Premier League finish

Champions: 2004/05; 2005/06; 2009/10; 2014/15; 2016/17

See: More about Chelsea's history

Season aims

Despite that late rally to a sixth-place finish last season, Chelsea have mostly spent the last two campaigns floating around in mid-table. Nevertheless, nothing short of UEFA Champions League qualification will be deemed good enough considering Chelsea’s lavish spending.

There is also the matter of style. Chelsea need direction, so it’s vital Maresca’s tactics take hold quickly - and visibly - at Stamford Bridge.

Key transfers

The main incomings so far are Fulham centre-back Tosin Adarabioyo, Basel midfielder Renato Veiga, Villarreal goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen, Barcelona forward Marc Guiu and most recently, Pedro Neto from Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Perhaps the most noteworthy addition, however, is Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, because it means Maresca is reunited with the linchpin of his Leicester City side from last season. It signals trust from the boardroom and, hopefully for Chelsea, quick implementation of the head coach's ideas.

Chelsea's key transfers so far
Player Transfer Type Club
Thiago Silva Released -
Tosin Adarabioyo Transfer In Fulham
Hakim Ziyech Transfer Out Galatasaray
Ian Maatsen Transfer Out Aston Villa
Omari Kellyman Transfer In Aston Villa
Marc Guiu Transfer In Barcelona
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall Transfer In Leicester
Renato Veiga Transfer In Basel
Caleb Wiley Transfer In Atlanta United
Filip Jorgensen Transfer In Villarreal
Pedro Neto Transfer In Wolves

See: Clubs' summer 2024 transfers

Tactics

The new head coach is pure Pep Guardiola. Using a 4-3-3 that shifts into a 3-2-5, Maresca’s meticulously-designed passing networks are drawn from his love of chess.

Here’s the problem: a lot of people find chess slow and boring. It’s an accusation that was levelled at Maresca in the early days at Leicester before results brought buy-in – and it’s plausible Chelsea supporters will be similarly impatient.

Injury report
Player Injury Latest Update
Nicolas Jackson - Details

See: Latest injuries and news

Pre-season results and fixtures

25 July Chelsea 2-2 Wrexham Report
27 July Chelsea 1-4 Celtic Report
1 Aug Chelsea 3-0 Club America Report
3 Aug Man City 4-2 Chelsea Report
7 Aug Chelsea 1-2 Real Madrid Report
11 Aug v Inter Milan (H) Details

What the manager says

Enzo Maresca: "One of the reasons I’m here is because I’m convinced the squad is very good and full of talent. The most important thing now is we are able to create the right culture that drives us for the season. I always say the same: if you are able to improve players then you are able to improve the team. So it’s our target to try to improve all of them day by day.”

Best XI (4-3-3)

Robert Sanchez; Reece James, Benoit Badiashile, Wesley Fofana, Marc Cucurella; Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall; Cole Palmer, Christopher Nkunku, Raheem Sterling

Opening PL fixtures
Kits
Chelsea home kit
Chelsea away kit

See: More details at Chelsea’s online store

Where will they finish?

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