Chelsea confirm new Conference League squad as Cole Palmer decision made | OneFootball

Enzo Maresca has made a big decision for knockout stages as Blues bid to complete full set of European trophies

Chelsea have added Cole Palmer to their squad for the Conference League knockout stage, but Wesley Fofana and Romeo Lavia have once again been left out.

Palmer was left out of the squad for the league phase in order to manage his workload, following a remarkable debut season that saw him emerge as Chelsea’s talisman and then go on to play a part in England’s run to the final of Euro 2024.

However, the 22-year-old has been an ever-present for Enzo Maresca in the Premier League, starting all 24 games so far, and will now be available for the business end of the Conference League as well.

Fofana and Lavia were both spared the league phase over similar workload concerns having only just come back from long-term injuries. However, while the pair established themselves as central to Maresca’s plans during the first half of the campaign, both are now sidelined again, with return dates unknown.

Even if they are fit in time for the latter stages of the Conference League, Chelsea would be reluctant to risk playing either twice-a-week given their respective injury records.

Instead, 19-year-old midfielder Amougou, a £12million deadline day signing from St. Etienne, and Chalobah, who was recalled from his loan spell at Crystal Palace last month, have been included. Young defender Aaron Anselmino, who was recalled from Boca Juniors during the window, does not feature.

Chelsea did not have to axe any existing players from their squad to make room for the new arrivals, since Cesare Casadei, Carney Chukwuemeka, Joao Felix, Renato Veiga and Axel Disasi all left the club in January.

Chelsea qualified top of the league phase after winning all six of their matches, meaning they skip this month’s knockout playoff round and go straight into the last-16 in March.

Maresca’s side will play either the winner of the knockout tie between Gent and Real Betis, or that between Copenhagen and Heidenheim.