Afghanistan
Angola
Argentina
Asia (AFC)
Asian Games
Australia
Belgium-Netherlands
Brazil
Burkina Faso
Central American & Caribbean Games
Central American Games
Congo DR
Denmark
England
Europe (UEFA)
FYR Macedonia
Finland
Germany
Greece
International Tournaments
Italy
Mediterranean Games
Mexico
National
Nepal
North & Central America (Concacaf)
Palestine
Pan American Games
Panama
Russia
Scandinavia
Serbia And Montenegro
South American Games
Spain
Syria
USA
Venezuela
World (FIFA)
Yemen
Zimbabwe

Chelsea

sportsmole.co.uk, 13 November 2024, 10:00
Chelsea may have made an impressive start to life under Enzo Maresca, but the Blues hierarchy are looking further ahead than simply sitting in third place in the Premier League table.

Maresca demanded that players were sold and loaned out during the summer transfer window in order to leave him with his desired 24 or 25 players in the first-team squad.

As many as 18 players were allowed to find temporary homes for at least the first half of the season, primarily to determine whether they could have long-term futures in West London.

Here, Sports Mole takes a look at how they are faring on the domestic and international scene, with Chelsea's sister club already proving to be money well spent.

Strasbourg success

With Liam Rosenior now at the helm, Strasbourg are continuing to endure an inconsistent campaign, their results ranging from beating Marseille to losing away at lowly Saint-Etienne.

However, Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital will be delighted with the progression of Andrey Santos, the Brazil international scoring five times from 10 starts in central-midfield and putting himself among the top performers with regards to most duels won.

Maresca has already spoken about the possibility of reintegrating the 20-year-old back into his ranks, and goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic will hope for similar. The Serbia international has made eight starts between the sticks.

The development of young American Caleb Wiley has been hit by a knee injury, but the wide player recently returned to take his appearance tally to five games.

Top-flight performers

Chelsea and Arsenal would have been hoping that Raheem Sterling's stint in North London would lead to a permanent deal being agreed at a later date.

Instead, the winger has allegedly under-performed in training, resulting in just four starts and four substitute outings in all competitions. The 29-year-old has only directly contributed to a goal in an EFL Cup tie against Bolton Wanderers.

Goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga has made six starts for Bournemouth, the Spaniard having been in line to feature more had he not recently suffered a minor injury.

Trevoh Chalobah has also made six starts for Crystal Palace, albeit in all competitions. The defender is yet to feature in an Eagles backline that has conceded more than twice in a single game.

Highly-regarded midfielder Lesley Ugochukwu has found himself in and out of the team at struggling Southampton. A total of five starts and three substitute outings have been made in all competitions.

Armando Broja is yet to make an appearance for Everton due to injury. The expectation is that the Albania international will not feature until December.

EFL experience

Chelsea sent two players to Championship promotion-chasing clubs before the end of the summer transfer window, and they have each proven to be a success thus far.

Alfie Gilchrist has made 13 starts and two substitute outings at Sheffield United, who have conceded just seven goals in their 15 second-tier fixtures.

Meanwhile, Bashir Humphreys has played nine times for a Burnley side who also boast a similarly strong defensive record, albeit the England Under-21 international featuring at full-back rather than in the centre.

In League One, American goalkeeper Gabriel Slonina has 11 starts for Barnsley to his name, while young playmaker Leo Castledine has chipped in with two goals from his 11 starts and two substitute outings at Shrewsbury Town.

Defender Dylan Williams has featured on 11 occasions for a lowly Burton Albion, with goalkeeper Teddy Sharman-Lowe showing plenty of promise at League Two side Doncaster Rovers through conceding just 17 goals from 15 starts.

On a negative note, another young goalkeeper in Eddie Beach has played just one EFL Trophy tie for Crawley Town and attacker Ronnie Stutter has featured for just 18 minutes for Burton.

What about the rest?

Chelsea committed to a £15.6m deal for defender Aaron Anselmino several months ago and he has since made a further nine outings for Boca Juniors.

The hope is that the 19-year-old will eventually move to English football and cement himself as an important player for both the Blues and Argentina.

Meanwhile, forward David Datro Fofana is part of a Goztepe squad that sit in sixth position in the Super Lig table. The Ivorian has scored once in his three starts and three substitute appearances in Turkey's top flight.

Top News

24 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Avoiding a catastrophic sixth defeat in a row will be the aim for Manchester City when Feyenoord touch down at the Etihad for Tuesday's Champions League league phase showdown. 24 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal have reportedly reached a decision over how to handle the future of Jorginho in the January transfer window. 24 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Hull City will be bidding to avoid a fourth straight defeat in the Championship when they continue their 2024-25 campaign with a home fixture against Sheffield Wednesday on Tuesday night. 24 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Sparta Prague and Atletico Madrid will lock horns for the first time in their respective histories on Tuesday night, and both sides will be under pressure to pick up a positive result due to their issues in the Champions League this season. 24 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk There will be a blockbuster contest in the Champions League at Allianz Arena on Tuesday night, as German giants Bayern Munich welcome French champions Paris Saint-Germain. 24 November 2024 talksport.com Jose Mourinho emphatically dismissed the Cristiano Ronaldo transfer links to Fenerbahce. 24 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City head coach Pep Guardiola can be expected to make sweeping changes for Tuesday's Champions League league phase encounter with Feyenoord at the Etihad Stadium. 24 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk In full-blown crisis mode after their fifth straight defeat across all competitions, meek Manchester City seek a shot at retribution in Tuesday's Champions League league phase match at home to Feyenoord. 24 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Barcelona will be aiming to return to winning ways when they take on French outfit Brest in the Champions League on Tuesday night. 24 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk A Champions League classic could be in store on Tuesday evening, when Sporting Lisbon host Arsenal at the Estadio Jose Alvalade in each side's fifth league phase match of the campaign. 24 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta is likely to tinker with his starting XI for Tuesday's Champions League battle with Sporting Lisbon in Portugal. 24 November 2024 talksport.com Hakim Ziyech had his head in his hands as he missed an open goal from eight yards out on Saturday night. 24 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Having hinted at a winter revival with a morale-boosting Premier League success, Arsenal resume Champions League duties away to Portuguese titans Sporting Lisbon on Tuesday evening. 24 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Seeking a third straight Champions League win, Italian giants AC Milan will meet struggling Slovan Bratislava at Stadion Tehelne Pole on Tuesday evening. 24 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal could reportedly table an 'astronomical' offer to sign AC Milan and Netherlands midfielder Tijjani Reijnders next summer. 24 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United striker Joshua Zirkzee has supposedly been offered the chance to continue in the Premier League with Aston Villa should he depart the Red Devils next year. 24 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United have supposedly seen an approach to sign a highly-rated Real Madrid midfielder rejected by the player himself. 24 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Reeling from their latest and undoubtedly their most humiliating setback yet, Manchester City have many wrongs to right in Tuesday's Champions League clash with Feyenoord at the Etihad. 24 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Refreshed and rejuvenated after the international break, Arsenal resume their Champions League adventure away to Sporting Lisbon on Tuesday evening. 24 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk With all eyes fixed on the January transfer market, clubs around the UK and Europe are already lining up potential mid-season moves. 24 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Sivasspor vs. Kasimpasa (Sunday, 10.30am) Kasimpasa begin life under new manager Hakan Keles when they travel to Sivasspor in the Turkish Super Lig this weekend. 24 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Nijmegen vs. Utrecht (Sunday, 11.15am) In-form sides NEC and FC Utrecht will be looking to keep their momentum going when they face off against each other at the Goffertstadion on Sunday afternoon. 24 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Holstein Kiel vs. Mainz (Sunday, 2.30pm) Holstein Kiel will hope to use their home crowd at Holstein-Stadion to spur them to victory against Mainz 05 in the Bundesliga on Sunday, as they continue their quest for survival. 24 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Genoa vs. Cagliari (Sunday, 11.30am) Aiming for a victory to start Patrick Vieira's tenure positively, Genoa seek maximum against a Cagliari side one place ahead of them in the Serie A table ahead of Sunday's gameweek 13 match at Stadio Comunale Luigi Ferraris. 24 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Osasuna vs. Villarreal (Sunday, 1.00pm) Fifth will welcome fourth in an intriguing La Liga contest on Sunday afternoon, with Villarreal making the trip to El Sadar Stadium to tackle Osasuna. 23 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain have reportedly stepped up their interest in signing Chelsea's Josh Acheampong, whose contract stand-off with the Blues is showing no signs of ending anytime soon. 23 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Turkish Super Lig titans Galatasaray have supposedly emerged as shock contenders to prise Alisson Becker away from Liverpool next summer. 23 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United have supposedly added Paris Saint-Germain defender and former Ruben Amorim protege Nuno Mendes to their left-back shortlist for 2025. 23 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool have a psychological advantage in the title race and can truly stake their claim as favourites by capitalising on their rivals' weaknesses over the coming weeks in the Premier League, Reds expert David Lynch has argued. 23 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk La Liga Barcelona were stunned on Saturday evening as Celta Vigo scored twice in the final exchanges of their contest to secure a point in a pulsating 2-2 draw at the Estadio Municipal de Balaidos.