Chelsea have announced their starting lineup for the 2024/25 Premier League season opener against Manchester City, and it has sparked some surprise. Despite being highly active in the transfer market, the club did not include any of their nine summer signings in the starting XI for this important match.
Under the management of Enzo Maresca, who is making his Premier League debut as Chelsea’s head coach, the decision to exclude new signings from the lineup has drawn attention. While none of the new arrivals made the starting lineup, six of them, including Tosin Adarabioyo, Pedro Neto, and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, have been named on the bench.
The match marks Wesley Fofana’s return to the team after a long absence, having not played since May 2023. Meanwhile, Romeo Lavia, who struggled with injuries during his first season at Stamford Bridge and only managed 32 league minutes in 2023/24, is starting the game.
Notably absent from the squad are Trevoh Chalobah, Conor Gallagher, Ben Chilwell, and Raheem Sterling. All four players have been linked with potential transfers away from the club, adding to the speculation surrounding their futures at Chelsea.
Chelsea’s starting XI for this match is also historically significant for its youth. With an average age of just 23 years and 180 days, it is the second-youngest lineup a Premier League team has fielded on the opening weekend of a season.
The only younger side was the Manchester City team that played against Aston Villa at the start of the 2008/09 season, which had an average age of 22 years and 360 days.
Enzo Fernandez has been handed the captain’s armband in the absence of Reece James, who is out injured. Fernandez’s appointment as captain comes despite the controversy he faced over racism allegations during Argentina’s Copa America victory earlier in the summer.
His leadership will be under scrutiny as Chelsea embarks on their new Premier League campaign under Maresca’s guidance.
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