'An increasingly large problem with both squad size and quality'

Ross Mooring, Chelsea Fancast, external

With just 11 days to go to the start of the new season, away at Everton, Chelsea have an increasingly large problem with both squad size and quality looming.

As a direct consequence of delayed transfer activity and planning as a result of the Roman Abramovich sanctions and sale of the club to its new owners earlier this year, Thomas Tuchel and co have found themselves not only short of squad improvements in numerous positions, but also with an impending issue of having too many senior professionals registered with the club.

Tuchel has already publicly admitted this when discussing the slightly alarming 4-0 pre-season tour defeat by Arsenal in Florida on Saturday, specifically with regards quality.

We know the German still wants another central defender and with the Jules Kounde transfer suddenly in doubt (thanks again Barcelona!) it could be back to the drawing board at that position.

Tuchel is also still keen on another attacker and probably envisaged signing a new central midfielder to go along with Conor Gallagher at the start of the summer, in addition to the obvious need to improve cover at both wing-back positions behind Reece James and Ben Chilwell.

One of the legacies of the recent Abramovich era is that the squad is saddled with too many non-elite quality players, a big hindrance under Premier League and European squad size rules.

As a result, only two players out of the likes of Ross Barkley, Malang Sarr, Emerson, Ethan Ampadu, Michy Batshuayi and Kenedy can make the team at all, meaning they must be sold or loaned or won't play any senior football this year. And for every new signing the club wants to make, players of the ilk of Hakim Ziyech, Timo Werner, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Billy Gilmour, Cesar Azpilicueta and Marcos Alonso must be sold first.

That is a lot of outgoings to work through, especially with many of these players on high wages and buyers in the market being quite scarce currently.