Chelsea enter the 2025\/26 campaign strengthened by a summer that mixed heavy recruitment with continuity. After a turnaround in 2024\u201325, the squad assembled by Maresca aims to press for honours, and on paper this is the side most likely to start given the club\u2019s transfer business and injury situation.<\/p>\n
GK: Robert S\u00e1nchez
\nGoalkeeper was largely untouched during the window. Chelsea explored a deal for AC Milan\u2019s Mike Maignan but ultimately kept Robert S\u00e1nchez as the starter. S\u00e1nchez remains prone to the occasional mistake but has shown improvement, notably at the Club World Cup. Mike Penders, on loan at sister club Strasbourg, is viewed as a possible long-term option.<\/p>\n
RB: Reece James
\nNow largely free of the injury problems that disrupted two seasons, Reece James has been managed carefully by Maresca and is expected to be a major factor when fit. Chelsea\u2019s captain offers physical defence, technique and wide passing range, and will be preserved for key moments while contributing across the season.<\/p>\n
CB: Trevoh Chalobah
\nAfter his loan at Crystal Palace was ended in January, Trevoh Chalobah has established himself back at Cobham and into Maresca\u2019s plans. With Levi Colwill sidelined long-term with an ACL injury and Wesley Fofana still struggling for fitness, Chalobah\u2019s role in the back line has grown in importance.<\/p>\n
CB: Tosin Adarabioyo
\nSigned from Fulham for depth, Tosin has become a regular given the defensive injury list. A strong aerial presence, he has been embraced by the dressing room and nicknamed “Uncle Tosin.” At 27 he is one of the senior leaders in the squad.<\/p>\n
LB: Marc Cucurella
\nCucurella\u2019s career regained momentum after Euro 2024 and he led Chelsea in appearances in 2024\u201325. Tenacious defensively, he added attacking output last season with seven goals and four assists. Jorrel Hato arrived as cover but Cucurella looks set to start.<\/p>\n
DMs: Mois\u00e9s Caicedo and Enzo Fern\u00e1ndez
\nCaicedo, signed from Brighton for \u00a3115 million, anchors midfield with relentless duels and ball-carrying. Enzo Fern\u00e1ndez provides vision, passing range and has evolved into a goal threat, becoming a key creative and attacking presence.<\/p>\n
AM: Cole Palmer
\nPalmer is the focal point of attack, capable of decisive moments from the right or as No. 10 with a special left foot.<\/p>\n
RW: Est\u00eav\u00e3o
\nThe 18-year-old Est\u00eav\u00e3o Willian has shown glimpses of top potential after signing in 2024, and Maresca appears ready to bring him through carefully.<\/p>\n
LW: Pedro Neto
\nPacy and effective on either flank, Neto has found form since joining last summer and delivers dangerous crosses from the left.<\/p>\n
ST: Jo\u00e3o Pedro
\nJo\u00e3o Pedro, the only summer 2025 arrival to start, hit the ground running with five goals and two assists in his first six matches and helped secure the 2025 Club World Cup. With Liam Delap injured and Nicolas Jackson now at Bayern Munich, Pedro is the primary striker option with Marc Guiu as cover.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Chelsea\u2019s strongest XI after the 2025 summer window: transfers, injuries and emerging starters. Read.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2676,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[190,969],"tags":[319,934,825],"class_list":["post-2677","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-chelsea","category-premier-league","tag-cole-palmer","tag-enzo-maresca","tag-estevao-willian"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.weplayfpl.com\/news-articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2677","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.weplayfpl.com\/news-articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.weplayfpl.com\/news-articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.weplayfpl.com\/news-articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.weplayfpl.com\/news-articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2677"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.weplayfpl.com\/news-articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2677\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.weplayfpl.com\/news-articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2676"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.weplayfpl.com\/news-articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2677"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.weplayfpl.com\/news-articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2677"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.weplayfpl.com\/news-articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2677"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}