Barkley ineligible to make Chelsea debut against Norwich

Ross Barkley was earmarked to make his debut from the bench against Norwich City in an FA Cup third-round replay on Wednesday, but Chelsea manager Antonio Conte found out on Sunday that the midfielder is ineligible to play. 

The 24-year-old was signed from Everton on January 5 – one day before the original FA Cup third-round tie that ended 0-0 at Carrow Road. However, Barkley was signed a few hours too late to be registered for the squad list to face Norwich, which means he is ineligible for any FA Cup replay.

Chelsea were only ever going to use the £15 million signing off the bench but are now planning a behind-closed-doors friendly for him to play in this week. Conte admits he only just found out that the England international would have to wait for his club debut. 

“Two days ago, Carlo Cudicini] informed me about this new situation," Conte said when asked about Barkley's registration issue. "Two days ago I was sure Ross Barkley could play against Norwich. Not to start, No. But for sure to play a part of the game.

"To start, I think this could be . . . to take a stupid risk is no good. To play a part of the game and go slowly, to be ready to start the game.”

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Conte has a few selection worries as he aims to keep his team fresh with eight games in 28 days over the month of January. Gary Cahill was substituted with a hamstring injury 33 minutes into Saturday's 0-0 draw with Leicester City in the Premier League. 

Meanwhile, Cesc Fabregas is also out of Wednesday's game after feeling a tweak in his hamstring in training. Conte will still play an experienced team against the Championship side but he is preparing to use teenager Ethan Ampadu alongside David Luiz in defence. 

Clive Rose

“Yes, yes. He [Ampadu] will start as a central defender, one of the three central defenders,” Conte added at Cobham Training Centre. "He deserves to play. He's showing in every game [why we] made this decision with him – against Everton, against Bournemouth – and showed me he's ready.

"To be ready to face this type of game. To play with the right concentration. To be ready physically and tactically. To play at this level. But this is unusual for a player who is only 17 years old. But that shows, at the same time, that age is not important.

"The most important thing is that you show, when I give you the chance to play, you repay me with a good performance. We are talking about a really good prospect for Chelsea, for the present and the future.”