The Chelsea manager didn’t hold back during his assessment of the club’s squad.

New Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has confessed that a shocking number of players are barred from training due the size of the club’s squad.

Chelsea have been extremely busy in the 2024/25 summer transfer window, signing eight players while continuing to monitor others such as Napoli striker Victor Osimhen.

The new additions mean that Chelsea’s squad size stands at a breathtaking 43 and still includes players like Romelu Lukaku and Kepa Arrizabalaga.And now, manager Maresca has spoken to the media about the issue, admitting that he has been forced to stop a shocking number of players from coming to the training ground to deal with the squad size.

Speaking in a press conference ahead of Chelsea’s Premier League opener against Manchester City, Maresca revealed that 15 players are not training with the remainder of the squad.

Addressing the media on Friday, the manager said “At the moment if I start to think I have 43 players it is not a good thing, I have 28 training with me.

“[Co-sporting directors] Paul [Winstanley] and Laurence [Stewart] are in charge of finding solutions for these guys, not me.”

The players training at the Cobham Training Centre are the 28 that went with Maresca on the US tour and it will only be these players that are considered for the match against Manchester City on Sunday.

That means that England international Conor Gallagher will not be available for the crucial fixture, after the 24-year-old jetted off to Madrid to complete a transfer to Atletico, only for the deal to collapse at the last minute.

Conor Gallagher flew back to England after a failed move to Atletico Madrid on August 13. (Image: Getty)

Speaking about the midfielder’s availability, Maresca said: “Conor is back… He is training apart. He is doing some medical tests and some training. He won’t be involved in the game. At this moment, he is trying to find a solution with the club.”

Although Chelsea are expected to make at least one more signing before the transfer window closes on August 30, it is also likely that several players will depart the club in the coming weeks.

Napoli are reportedly interested in Lukaku being included in any deal for Oshimen, meanwhile several clubs in the Saudi Pro League are considering making a bid for Arrizabalaga.