It’s that time again, as hope beckons the many and the grass shines a pristine green, a new Premier League season is upon us. For Chelsea, achieving domestic and continental glory is once again the aim, as the club look to continue their long-standing run of success under owner Roman Abramovich.

However, only 23 players may be selected for this journey, and with fierce competition for a number of places in the team, Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel faces a series of difficult decisions in the upcoming weeks.

In this piece, we’ll outline the 23-man squad Thomas Tuchel should be selecting for the 2021/2022 Premier League season, barring any immediate transfers.

Goalkeepers:

Edouard Mendy – KEEP – Surely one of the easiest decisions for Tuchel, Chelsea’s #1 has rightfully earned his spot over the past year as the starting GK in the squad. 

Kepa Arrizabalaga – KEEP – Ideally, Kepa should’ve been loaned out at the start of the summer. However, with 4 weeks left in the window and factoring in his high wages, it’s hard to see him leaving anytime soon. So, for these reasons, Chelsea would be remiss to let the Spanish international leave.

Marcus Bettinelli – KEEP – Chelsea’s most recent signing, zero chance he leaves.

Defenders:

Cesar Azpilicueta – KEEP – Although I suspect his minutes will significantly diminish with the emergence of Reece James, Chelsea’s club captain is due for another strong season in England. His versatility will prove to be huge this year, as he’d slot in nicely in any number of Thomas Tuchel’s complex systems.

Reece James – KEEP – Our most promising young defender and one of Chelsea’s very own, James is set to continue his strong end to last season. Again, another easy selection for the 23-man squad. 

Dujon Sterling – LOAN – Probably the most unfortunate decision in the squad, as Dujon Sterling’s performances in preseason have been promising. But, seeing as he’s competing with Cesar Azpilicueta, Reece James and even Callum Hudson-Odoi for a wingback role, there simply isn’t a place for him in the squad. 

Davide Zappacosta – SELL – One of the deadwood somehow STILL here from that disastrous 2017 transfer window. The quicker Chelsea get rid of Zappacosta, the better.

Ben Chilwell – KEEP – Proving to be one of Frank Lampard’s better signings, Chillwell did very well to adapt to Tuchel’s wingback-system, and is clearly the #1 LWB going into this season. 

Emerson Palmieri – SELL – Despite the occasional performance here and there, Emerson never really got going in a Chelsea shirt. It’s time for Chelsea to part ways with the Italian international, either as a pawn in bringing in Jules Kounde, or as a separate transfer.

Marcos Alonso – KEEP – Listen, I’m far from Marcos Alonso’s biggest fan, but he’s clearly a dressing-room favorite and still the only natural wingback in the squad. Not to mention, the wild-card factor and goal threat he brings into the team is invaluable. So, for these reasons, I’m somewhat reluctant to say that Alonso should be kept in the squad. 

Baba Rahman – SELL – Nothing special, it’d be best for all parties if we moved him on. 

Antonio Rudiger – KEEP – Arguably Chelsea’s best defender, the Chelsea board should be doing everything in their power to sign him to a new deal. One of the few CBs in our squad to be part of a successful 3-man and 4-man defence, Rudiger absolutely must stay. 

Kurt Zouma – SELL – With the imminent arrival of Jules Kounde from Sevilla, along with the long list of Chelsea’s current central-defenders, it seems it’s finally time for Mr. “Happy” to bid farewell to Stamford Bridge. Although a decent defender, his lack of ability on the ball doesn’t fit Tuchel’s style of play whatsoever, and it’s best if we move on. 

Ethan Ampadu – KEEP – My wildcard pick for the 23-man squad, I still believe in Ethan Ampadu and the promise he showed as a teenager under Antonio Conte. With his ability to play as a central CB in a back-3 or defensive midfielder in a pivot, I believe he still has a valuable place in Tuchel’s squad. With 5 competitions on the schedule for Chelsea, rotation will be key, and versatile players like Ampadu are hard to come by. However, if Jules Kounde were to arrive and replace Ampadu, a loan might be on the horizon for the Welshman. 

Trevoh Chalobah – LOAN – Definitely a promising young CB, but from a pure numbers perspective, there’s just no place for him in the squad. But, taking age and potential into consideration, Chelsea would be unwise to sell him on a permanent basis.

Thiago Silva – KEEP – The heart of Thomas Tuchel’s defense, I suspect we’ll get one last season out of the Brazilian before it’s time to move on. Regardless, for now, Silva is a must-keep. 

Andreas Christensen – KEEP – The clear heir to Thiago Silva in Tuchel’s back-3, Christensen should be pushing to replace Silva towards the end of the season. On top of a strong Euros showing, Christensen must be kept. 

Jake Clarke-Salter – SELL – With younger and more talented CBs already in the academy (Colwill, Mbuyamba), there’s absolutely no need to keep Clarke-Salter in the Chelsea squad. 

Malang Sarr – LOAN – Solely due to the experience he gained whilst playing in Portugal and the Champions League, Sarr should be loaned out another year before Chelsea make any permanent decisions on his future. 

Matt Miazga – SELL – Again, similar to Jake Clarke-Salter, there’s just no need to keep a 26-year-old CB who’s never shown anything in a Chelsea shirt. 

Midfielders:

Jorginho – KEEP – Another player who’s really grown on me since Tuchel’s arrival, Jorginho is a crucial part of Chelsea’s system and the way Tuchel plays football. A clear squad favorite and Chelsea’s vice-captain, Jorginho has to stay.

N’Golo Kante – KEEP – Do I need to explain this, really? 

Mateo Kovacic – KEEP – Although his form has severely dipped since the start of the 2019/2020 season, Kovacic is clearly still a valuable squad player. Again, with Chelsea involved in 5 competitions this year, we’ll need all the depth in midfield we can get. 

Ruben Loftus-Cheek – KEEP – Probably his last chance to prove he’s still got a career at Chelsea, but I’m confident he’ll bounce back. Chelsea severely lack an imposing figure in midfield, and if healthy, Loftus-Cheek can easily be that player. He’s looked energetic in preseason thus far, and at a measly 5,600 career Premier League minutes across 8 years (approximately seven “90s” a season) he’s never really gotten the consistent opportunities at the Premier League level. So, as an additional midfielder, Loftus-Cheek sneaks into the squad.

Mason Mount – KEEP – Chelsea’s golden boy and future captain, Mount isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. 

Tino Anjorin – KEEP – Probably last on the depth chart of central midfielders, but it wouldn’t hurt to have a fresh set of legs ready to come on at a moment’s notice. A loan might be necessary next year, but for now, Anjorin stays. However, if Chelsea were to sign a Tchouameni or a Rice, Anjorin’s spot would be in jeopardy. 

Ross Barkley – SELL/LOAN – I don’t particularly care as to what happens to Ross Barkley, as long as he’s out the door. He’s nearing 28 years of age, and Chelsea have more quality in younger players such as Mason Mount or Ruben Loftus-Cheek. 

Lewis Baker – SELL – Don’t you think the poor guy has been here long enough? Honestly, it’s time to cut ties and put him out of his misery. 

Danny Drinkwater – LOAN – Although lively in preseason, a serious footballing institution shouldn’t be fielding Danny Drinkwater in 2021. Then again, are Chelsea ever serious? Selling Drinkwater would be the ideal move, but it’s near impossible to move on a washed up 31-year-old midfielder on £120,000 per week. 

Tiemoue Bakayoko – SELL – It’s unfortunate the way things worked out for Bakayoko, but with Chelsea sniffing around Declan Rice and Aurlien Tchouameni, it’s hard to see a future for Bakayoko in a Chelsea shirt. It’s time to cut our losses, and recoup what we can through a relatively sizable transfer fee. 

Forwards:

Kai Havertz – KEEP – The underlying metrics show that Chelsea’s Champions League hero is due for a huge sophomore season in England, a must-keep for Thomas Tuchel.

Tammy Abraham – KEEP – On the basis that Chelsea won’t sign Erling Haaland (which, as I’m writing this, looks likely), Tammy must stay. It’d be moronic to go into the season with 1 natural striker in Armando Broja, nevermind his lack of experience. We’ve heard names such as Danny Ings thrown into the mix, but I don’t believe Ings is even *that* much of an upgrade on Tammy Abraham. Considering their relative price points and injury history, it’d be smarter and cheaper to keep Abraham. However, if by some miracle Chelsea do sign a Haaland or a Lukaku, it’s probably for the best if Tammy is sold.

Armando Broja – KEEP – One of the more impressive players in preseason, I’m sure I’m not alone in saying I’m excited to see what he can do at the senior level. As a rotational, 3rd-choice option off the bench, I think it’d be smart to keep Broja for the season. 

Michy Batshuayi – SELL – We’re looking for a striker to score us 20 league goals over a season, and it’s glaringly obvious that Michy isn’t that guy. Thanks for the goal against West Brom and the banter on Twitter, but it’s time to go. 

Timo Werner – KEEP – Probably Chelsea’s most controversial player, it’d be harsh to give up on the Werner-experiment after just 12 months. Even then, he still finished our 20/21 campaign with the most G/A in the squad, and is probably due for a bounce-back season. I mean, surely he can’t get worse? Right? Right??

Christian Pulisic – KEEP – A very disappointing 2nd season in 2020/21, riddled with injuries and inconsistent performances. However, I firmly believe he has one of the highest ceilings in the squad, and he also finished the season fairly well. It’s a big year for the American, as he’s got to make the step-up (in terms of G/A) and prove he can consistently perform at this level. Pulisic clearly deserves to be in the squad, but he’s on relatively thin ice.

Callum Hudson-Odoi – KEEP – 2 years removed from his Achilles injury, this has to be Hudson-Odoi’s year. We’re all well aware of the talent he possesses, it’s just a matter of showing it on the pitch. On a personal level, he’s probably the player I’m most excited to watch this season. So, as a backup winger and wing-back, Hudson-Odoi makes the 23-man squad.

Hakim Ziyech – SELL – It’s hard to admit, but Ziyech has been an utter and complete flop in England. At 27, he should’ve had an instant impact in the Premier League, yet he looks a shadow of his former self at Ajax. I do believe it’d be hard to move him this late into the window, but at this point, I don’t think it’s particularly bad business to cut our losses and move on. Seeing as Mount can replace him on the wing AND also play in a deeper, more central role, I don’t see the need to keep Ziyech at the club. 

Charly Musonda Jr. – LOAN – A lot has gone against Musonda since being promoted to the Chelsea first-team in 2017, and I’m afraid that stretch will have to continue. With an uber-talented group of young wingers already at the club, there just isn’t a place for Musonda in the Chelsea squad (barring injury).  

And that’s that! It certainly wasn’t easy choosing between such a talented set of players, although I have a slight suspicion that Thomas Tuchel will have a much tougher time selecting his squad than a random 19-year-old on Twitter. Nonetheless, the full-squad is listed below, and hopefully it’s one to bring a wave of success to Stamford Bridge.

Goalkeepers: Mendy, Kepa, Bettinelli 

Defenders: Azpilicueta, James, Chilwell, Alonso, Rudiger, Ampadu*, Silva, Christensen

Midfielders: Jorginho, Kante, Kovacic, Loftus-Cheek, Mount, Anjorin 

Forwards: Havertz, Werner, Tammy*, Pulisic, Hudson-Odoi, Broja