Chelsea are at risk of a disrupted start to the new Premier League season, due to international tournaments getting in the way
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Chelsea are at risk of missing 10 first team players for the start of the 2024/25 Premier League season, with international tournaments putting their plans into jeopardy.
While Euro 2024 and Copa America 2024 will both be finished by July 14, football at the Olympic Games in Paris isn't complete until August 10 - just one week before the Premier League season kicks off in 2024/25.
Unfortunately for Chelsea fans, though, there are up to 10 players available for selection at the Olympics, with theStandardreporting that a significant number are in line to be called up for the tournament.
Chelsea could be missing up to 10 players for the start of next season (Image credit: Getty Images)
Men's football at the Olympics is an under 23s tournament, with three overage players allowed in each squad. Chelsea's young team, therefore, could actually come to hinder their pre-season preparations.
Indeed, Malo Gusto, Benoit Badiashile, Lesley Ugochukwu and Wesley Fofana are all 23 and under and eligible to play for France in their home Olympics. Thierry Henry will also manage the nation, making it that bit more difficult to reject a call-up.
Gusto and Ugochukwu are most likely to be included in the team, following their recent call-ups for the France U21 squad, also managed by Henry.
Gusto and Disasi could both be called up for France (Image credit: Getty Images)
Elsewhere, Mykhailo Mudryk could make the Ukraine team for the tournament, while Enzo Fernandez is also still young enough for Argentina to require his services at the Olympics. Though the central midfielder will also likely play at the Copa America, the prospect of playing alongside Lionel Messi again - who has already been invited by the Argentine federation - might prove too good an opportunity to pass up.
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But it's not just the under 23 players Chelsea fans have to worry about losing, with a number of older squad members still in with a chance of being selected.
With neither Robert Sanchez nor Marc Cucurella selected in the Spain squad for their upcoming friendlies against Brazil and Colombia, it is likely national team boss Luis de la Fuente will opt not to select them for Euro 2024. That will make them eligible for the Olympics, however, as Spain's overage players.
Similarly, Axel Disasi and Christopher Nkunku are in the same situation for France. Neither have made Didier Deschamps' latest squad, but with the Olympics being hosted in their homecountry it's likely they'll be able to turn down a place as an overage player in the squad if Thierry Henry comes calling.
Chelsea will head to the United States for a pre-season tour at the end of July to prepare for the new season, coinciding with men's football being played at the Olympics.
Ryan is a staff writer for FourFourTwo, joining the team full-time in October 2022. He first joined Future in December 2020, working across FourFourTwo, Golf Monthly, Rugby World and Advnture's websites, before eventually earning himself a position with FourFourTwo permanently. After graduating from Cardiff University with a degree in Journalism and Communications, Ryan earned a NCTJ qualification to further develop as a writer while a Trainee News Writer at Future.
