- Chelsea have acquired bloated first-team squad
- Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall among ten new arrivals
- A number of players need to leave before deadline
Chelsea midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall has revealed that players at the club are doing their best to ignore the speculation and uncertainty that surrounds the squad.
This summer has been another one of major change at Stamford Bridge, with the appointment of a new manager and ten new arrivals. The first-team squad has ballooned to more than 40 players, with Raheem Sterling and vice-captain Ben Chilwell among those told they can leave.
Boss Enzo Maresca has admitted that as many as 15 players, which also includes Romelu Lukaku and Kepa Arrizabalaga, are training away from the main group while they wait for transfers. Chelsea have also drawn criticism over the way valuable players home-grown players like Conor Gallagher have been pushed towards the exit because of the greater financial boost selling them gives.
It still isn't clear who will be at Stamford Bridge once the transfer window shuts, while the Blues continue to be linked with further potential signings.
"We're in a bubble with it," Dewsbury-Hall said of how the current squad are handling things.
"You can't let that sort of thing affect you. The only thing we're doing is just going out every day and training as well as we can, getting ready for the matches. Everything that happens outside, it's not up to us. Probably when the transfer window finishes, then it can just be pure focus on the season. Of course, when it's open, you get speculations."
Dewsbury-Hall was speaking ahead of Thursday night's UEFA Conference League play-off first leg against Swiss side Servette. It was far from a polished performance at Stamford Bridge, but the 2-0 victory should go some way to calming some nerves for Maresca and the players involved.
