The Premier League will not push back the start of next season for Chelsea despite the exceptional circumstances which will see Enzo Maresca left with hardly any time for a proper pre-season.

The Blues will be forced to face Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge on August 17 as scheduled, sources have confirmed to Confidential.

Although lucrative, Chelsea are facing a Club World Cup hangover because of their month-long stretch in the United States. They will compete in the final on Sunday, their 64th game of the 2024-25 season with the squad knocking on 100 hours of football played overall. Upon landing in London, Chelsea’s stars are set to receive the mandatory minimum of three weeks’ rest.

Chelsea will take on Palace in their Premier League opener following that, by which time they will have had fewer than two weeks to work together at Cobham.

Insiders have said this is an example of the challenges faced by domestic leagues as a consequence of FIFA expanding their calendar.

Chelsea’s Club World Cup run could disadvantage them in the Premier League next season

Even if Chelsea had submitted a formal request for a postponement with the Premier League, Palace would have been expected to argue against it, given that would have provided the Blues with more time to take them on in a stronger position.

Sympathy for Chelsea among their Premier League counterparts will be in short supply, considering they have already banked £80million by participating in the Club World Cup.

Two August friendlies to put ‘bomb squad’ players in shop window

Those left out of Chelsea’s Club World Cup squad – commonly branded the ‘bomb squad’, rightly or wrongly – are on their holidays.

That includes Ben Chilwell, Raheem Sterling, Axel Disasi, Joao Felix, Djordje Petrovic, Armando Broja and Renato Veiga among others. Confidential has learned some of those above are still awaiting word on when they should report back to Cobham to begin training again.

With Chelsea reaching the Club World Cup final, and those who did travel to the United States being entitled to three weeks’ holiday once they exit, the Blues may need to rely on their fringe stars for the two friendlies in early August.

If not sold or loaned by then, Chilwell, Sterling and Co could feature versus Bayer Leverkusen and AC Milan at Stamford Bridge. With tongue in cheek, one source said it could be ‘a showcase event for the bomb squad’.

Axel Disasi and Joao Felix are both part of Chelsea’s bomb squad but could play in pre-season

Arsenal closing in on Madueke

Chelsea are contractually obliged by FIFA to put up three players before each Club World Cup fixture. We have spoken to plenty of them – so many they are now being recycled, with us having spoken to Moises Caicedo, Andrey Santos and Dario Essugo twice – but not Noni Madueke.

You can imagine why. It’s because we would be quizzing him on his future amid Arsenal’s interest in him.

The Gunners are in talks with Chelsea over Madueke, who is available for around £50million with 18-year-old wonderkid Estevao Willian coming in this summer. The Brazilian scored against his future employers for Palmeiras last week.

Madueke is open to moving to the Emirates after agreeing personal terms. He has had disciplinary issues in the past, including under Enzo Maresca last season, and has not started Chelsea’s last three games amid the noise surrounding him and Arsenal. Maresca seems concerned he has lost focus.

Arsenal are in talks with Chelsea over a deal for winger Noni Madueke, available for £50million

Nicolas Jackson is another with whom we have not spoken here. Although Chelsea are not actively pushing him towards the exit door, Jackson is not considered untouchable if another club show interest, with two other strikers having arrived this summer in Joao Pedro and Liam Delap. Both have shown their potential at this Club World Cup.

Influencers offering cash to get Premier League fixture list

Last month, when the Premier League fixtures were being announced for the new season, there were football influencers unscrupulously offering money to journalists in private messages on social media in exchange for the list, so they could prove to their followers that they are indeed in the know.

We receive it early under strict embargo, but you will struggle to find a journalist who would jeopardise their job for a quick buck. The offers came in at fewer than £100 in the messages I’ve seen and were not taken up.

Cherries make bid for Petrovic 

Bournemouth have submitted an offer for Djordje Petrovic.

The numbers of their bid are not yet known, but Chelsea are determined to receive at least £25million tor their goalkeeper, who spent last season on loan at Strasbourg, Chelsea’s sister club in France. Petrovic, 25, did not travel to the United States with his Blues team-mates.

Other clubs remain interested – including Strasbourg – but Bournemouth are looking to move into the lead. They also had Kepa Arrizabalaga on loan last season. 

Djordje Petrovic did not travel to the USA for the Club World Cup amid talk of a summer exit

How Chelsea’s stars would spend their three weeks of downtime

Although Chelsea’s players will have three weeks of downtime once they are done with the Club World Cup, these tend to be athletes who are addicted to staying as fit as possible.

Confidential spoke to Levi Colwill a fortnight ago in the United States and asked him how he would spend it.

Colwill said he would have a week of chilling with friends and family, but then would begin training individually while on holiday, partly out of fear that he would get into trouble with Maresca if he returned for pre-season at Cobham in anything less than tip-top condition.

No bonus for Enzo

I mentioned to Maresca after Chelsea’s semi-final win over Fluminense that they had now secured more than £80m in prize money from FIFA.

‘Not me,’ Maresca said. Indeed, the 45-year-old Italian was understood to not receive a bonus for winning Chelsea the Conference League, and neither is it believed he has one built into his contract should they triumph in the Club World Cup.

However, Maresca will be hoping some of the money he has made will come back to him in signings. He has told those above him the areas he believes need improving.

Will Caicedo be fit for the final?

Midfielder Moises Caicedo limped out of Chelsea’s semi-final win over Fluminense on Tuesday

Chelsea are crossing everything in the hope Moises Caicedo, who will have tests on his ankle after a rest day was scheduled for the squad today, will be fit for Sunday’s showdown.

Dario Essugo was signed as his back-up but in terrible timing, the 20-year-old defensive midfielder picked up a muscular problem which is set to rule him out of the final as well.

Caicedo has so often defied logic in making himself seem indestructible so there remains hope he can return to try to help the club become world champions.

MetLife not the wisest choice…

MetLife Stadium in New Jersey – essentially a monstrous £1billion arena positioned in the middle of a gigantic car park – appears an awful choice for next year’s 2026 World Cup final in its current state.

FIFA have picked the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey as the venue for the 2026 World Cup final 

Fans flying to the United States will find it is an utter farce to try to reach the ground via public transport, unless you fancy paying more than $100 for an Uber from Manhattan… and that’s only one way.

With no shaded areas surrounding the stadium – like I said, it’s a car park – supporters have been melting in the heatwave here.

We can only assume the bright lights of New York blinded FIFA when choosing this stadium.

Meanwhile, Confidential passed FIFA president Gianni Infantino as he was leaving the MetLife the other day after Real Madrid’s 3-2 win over Borussia Dortmund. He was stopping to take selfies with supporters before getting into his chauffeur-driven car.