Chelsea are one of 32 teams competing in this summer’s Club World Cup tournament, and it will be fascinating to see what the Blues squad looks like in the United States.
The Blues don’t get much of a break this summer because they are challenging in the expanded Club World Cup competition.
Chelsea are taking the Club World Cup very seriously because of the financial rewards that come from doing well in the tournament. It starts for them in the group stages with matches against Leon, Flamengo and ES Tunis.
Omari Kellyman won’t make Chelsea’s Club World Cup squad, loan is expected
Omari Kellyman, who joined Chelsea from Aston Villa for £19m (BBC) a year ago, has been a forgotten man at Stamford Bridge. In fact, the attacking midfielder is still waiting to make his first-team debut for the Blues because his debut season was plagued by injury.
Journalist Ben Jacobs has claimed via X that Kellyman won’t be part of Chelsea’s travelling squad for the Club World Cup.
He reports that the 19-year-old youngster will stay at the club to work on returning to full fitness. Afterwards, it is ‘likely’ that he will join a Championship club on loan for next season.
It was claimed back in December that Chelsea viewed Kellyman as part of the first team despite his absence from the senior group because of injury. Even though he featured in a few matches for the Blues academy, it feels like his career in West London is yet to really ignite.
Villa only sold Kellyman because of PSR rules and managed to secure a hefty sum for the teenager, but it remains to be seen what type of deal it is for Chelsea.
We agree with the plans from Enzo Maresca’s side to allow the English playmaker to go out on loan and experience regular first-team football next season.
Chelsea youngsters will find it tougher next season
Of course, Maresca is working with an extremely young first-team squad at Chelsea. Even so, he still found plenty of opportunities last season to promote academy graduates and give opportunities to less experienced players.
Will the Blues head coach still be able to do that next season when the team is competing in the Champions League rather than the Conference League, though?
The fact that Marc Guiu may be loaned out by Chelsea next season should serve as a warning to other youngsters at the club that they may need to go elsewhere to find senior minutes.
It’s why Kellyman being tipped for a Championship loan feels like a no-brainer.
