Thomas Tuchel set to be without 18 Chelsea stars for the beginning of pre-season training

The first-team building at Chelsea’s training base in Cobham has been quiet over the last four weeks. A couple of players have been in to undertake rehabilitation and recovery work following injuries, but the vast majority of Thomas Tuchel’s squad has either been away on international duty or on holiday.

That will all change at the start of next month. It’s on July 2 that Tuchel will welcome back the first group of Chelsea players for pre-season training. There will be several established stars involved, such as Trevoh Chalobah, Ben Chilwell, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Callum Hudson-Odoi, and Hakim Ziyech.

A handful of returning loanees are also expected to be given an opportunity to impress by Tuchel. Nathan Baxter, Levi Colwill and Dujon Sterling will be back after strong seasons in the Championship at Hull City, Huddersfield Town and Blackpool respectively. Tino Anjorin, meanwhile, is set to be involved and has an admirer in Tuchel following his efforts in the 2020/21 campaign.

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A handful of young academy graduates could also be given a chance to catch the eye. Xavier Simons, Lewis Hall, Harvey Vale and Jude Soonsup-Bell all played first-team minutes last term and could again be brought up to train with the senior players, especially as they’ll be further along in their pre-season with the Development Squad returning earlier than Tuchel’s.

This first group will be put through their paces at Cobham for a week before the first-team squad flies out to the USA on July 9 for Chelsea’s pre-season tour. The Blues will spend almost a week in Los Angeles before matches against Club America in Las Vegas, Charlotte FC in Charlotte, and Arsenal in Orlando.

It’s in Los Angeles that Tuchel will have a full squad to work with for the first time. Edouard Mendy, who football.london understands is in line for a new contract at Chelsea, will have returned and linked up with a goalkeeping contingent that – as things stand – also includes Kepa Arrizabalaga and Marcus Bettinelli.

Reece James and Thiago Silva will be involved. As will Cesar Azpilicueta and Marcos Alonso if neither has completed a move to Barcelona. There will also be the return of Emerson Palmieri, who spent the 2021/22 campaign on loan in Ligue 1 at Lyon. The French side opted not to sign the Italian international permanently.

Should Jules Kounde have completed his long-awaited switch from Sevilla, the Frenchman would join up with his new teammates in the U.S. Although whether he would be ready to get out on the training pitches at UCLA is a different matter given the 23-year-old underwent surgery on a minor pelvis issue earlier this week.

The midfield will be replenished as Jorginho, N’Golo Kante, Mateo Kovacic, Conor Gallagher, Billy Gilmour and Ethan Ampadu all rejoin the group. The latter trio spent last season out on loan and should they remain with Chelsea for pre-season, will have points to prove to Tuchel.

Chelsea’s attack will also be light until the return of the international players. Mason Mount, Kai Havertz, Timo Werner, Christian Pulisic, Armando Broja, and Romelu Lukaku were all in action for the countries this month. However, the latter is intent on pushing through a move to Inter Milan.

Tuchel will attempt to improve his forward line this summer and Chelsea have held talks with Barcelona winger Ousmane Dembele’s representatives over a free transfer. If the France international was to join the Blues ahead of pre-season, he could be included in the first group that returns to Cobham on July 2 as he was not selected for France’s Nations League matches this month.