Chelsea include four new signings in Club World Cup squad as Raheem Sterling, Joao Felix & other loanees are left out

Enzo Maresca has selected new additions Mike Penders, Mamadou Sarr, Dario Essugo and Liam Delap in his squad to head to the USA. Penders is a goalkeeper from Genk, Sarr is a centre-back who has arrived from Strasbourg, Essugo is a midfielder from Sporting, while Delap has been signed from Ipswich.

Among the names to have been left at home are Sterling and Felix, both of whom have spent time away from the club this season. Sterling joined Arsenal on loan for the 2024-25 campaign, while Felix had been at AC Milan since January. It has been reported that Chelsea have decided to leave out loanees as they see the tournament as the continuation of the 2024-25 season, although that leaves questions over why their new signings are involved.

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Axel Disasi, who joined Aston Villa on loan midway through the season, is another to have been omitted. Goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic spent the campaign at Strasbourg and asked to be left at home, report The Telegraph, as he focuses on his long-term future, while Wesley Fofana will concentrate on his rehabilitation after injury.

Chelsea's Club World Cup campaign gets underway against LAFC on Monday, before matches with Flamengo and ES Tunis in the group stage.