According to the latest news from the Daily Mail, Chelsea defender Chilwell is now closing in on staying in the team, despite having previously expressed his desire to be named in the UEFA Europa League squad in a bid for more game time. Chelsea would prefer to play Chilwell for the next four months rather than leave him in a no-go situation. According to sources, Chilwell is not close to joining a country that still has an open transfer window, including the previously rumored Turkish side Fenerbahce, who are desperate for reinforcements after losing left-back Kadioglu, but the situation does not seem to have changed substantially.
Sources close to Chilwell have emphasized that keeping him in match fitness is vital to avoid a dip in his game, as well as preventing the club from losing the hefty transfer fee of close to £50million paid to bring him in from Leicester City in August 2020 due to prolonged inactivity. Chilwell's own desire for a chance to play is clear, and he has even expressed a willingness to travel with the squad to Kazakhstan for the UEFA Europa League event, even though the extreme cold temperatures there can be unbearable.
However, sources have also revealed that Chilwell has been informed in advance of Chelsea's strategy to limit the Eredivisie playing time of several key players, including Palmer, Wesley Fofana and Ravia, in an effort to control their match loads. On Friday, Chelsea will submit a 25-man squad for the season to the Premier League, which must include at least eight 'home-grown' players, and although Chilwell meets that criteria, Chelsea manager Jose Manuel Maresca has reportedly decided to exclude those players who are currently training alone.
This means that if Chilwell fails to make the UEFA roster, he may pin his next hopes on the League Cup, which will be one of the few official match opportunities he will be able to play in before the next transfer window opens.
