Off we go again. Just over a month has passed since Chelsea stunned Paris Saint-Germain in the Club World Cup final, Cole Palmer leading the destruction of the European champions. But there is no chance of life at Stamford Bridge slowing down. It has been another breathless summer and, while the vibe is as positive as it has ever been under the ownership of Clearlake Capital and Todd Boehly, there is also the unavoidable question of whether a relentless schedule is going to catch up with the new world champions further down the line.
A compressed pre-season, limited to friendlies against Bayer Leverkusen and Milan last weekend, may pose complications for Enzo Maresca in the long run. Chelsea had a lucrative time in the US, earning an estimated £85m in prize money, but the riches on offer from Fifa’s expanded tournament come with potential costs. The unknown is how last season, stretching until 13 July, will affect Maresca’s players. They looked ready to go during convincing wins in the pair of friendlies, which suggests there will be no lethargy when they open their Premier League campaign with a testing home game against Crystal Palace on Sunday, but one theory is problems will come when the Champions League begins, the fixtures pile up and Christmas approaches
It is hard for anyone to argue that Chelsea, who also won the Conference League last season, are not on the right track after seeing how Maresca outdid Luis Enrique’s PSG. Two years after they finished 12th, a proper title challenge does not feel unrealistic. Chelsea have firepower and tactical flexibility, and they have belief after beating PSG. Inside the club, though, there is caution. Maresca is not facing demands from the board to win the title. The victory over PSG has been followed by reminders of the need for everyone to stay humble.
There is a wariness about anyone involved in the project getting carried away. Chelsea are a young team and came close to missing out on Champions League qualification last season. Dips are to be expected and Robert Sánchez’s recent improvement has not fully allayed doubts over whether he is a title-winning goalkeeper. Maresca, too, was under pressure after Christmas. Chelsea, though, crave stability. They want mid-season managerial changes to be a thing of the past. They are not going to overreact if fatigue hits after Champions League games or during the festive period.
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Chelsea believe in their process. The trading can look ruthless but the model of handing out heavily incentivised deals has made it easier to move unwanted players. Noni Madueke has gone to Arsenal for an initial £48m. There were no issues shipping João Félix to Saudi Arabia. A bigger challenge is finding buyers for Raheem Sterling and Christopher Nkunku, both of whom were signed on big wages before Chelsea shifted their contract policy.
Further incomings depend on more sales, with Ben Chilwell and Carney Chukwuemeka also hoping for fresh starts. Chelsea want to strengthen in the final third by signing Manchester United’s Alejandro Garnacho and RB Leipzig’s Xavi Simons but being fined by Uefa for breaching financial fair play rules heightens the need to raise money, which will most likely come through selling Nkunku, Nicolas Jackson and Tyrique George.
It will be busy before the window shuts. It is never quiet at Chelsea. Maresca tried to play down their chances last season, saying they were not ready to challenge Liverpool and Arsenal, but silencing the title talk will be impossible if they hit the ground running this time.
