Chelsea face Udinese on Friday evening in their last match of pre-season, with several players looking to impress.
The likes of Levi Colwill, Ethan Ampadu, Michy Batshuayi, Ross Barkley, Kenedy and Emerson Palmieri’s futures at the club hang in the balance, while Cesar Azpilicueta, Marcos Alonso, Timo Werner and Hakim Ziyech have all been linked with moves away from the club.
Thomas Tuchel’s squad is nowhere near finalised for the season ahead, with there set to be several outgoings and some potential incomings during the remainder of the transfer window.
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With the season starting in less than two weeks, Tuchel was asked whether he felt his side would be ready.
He confessed: “I can not guarantee. I saw a team (against) Arsenal who are mentally committed to an idea of playing, a level of exhaustion, a level of physical commitment that we could not match.
“Also, a level of mental commitment that we lacked because we have a lot of players who are thinking about leaving and looking at their options. We have players that have left and I think at the moment that’s obvious.”
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It has been reported that the German is seeking as many as four new additions to his squad as he hopes to have a team ready to challenge at the top of the Premier League.
However, with the season edging closer and Chelsea’s opener at Goodison Park against Everton less than two weeks away, now is the time for members of the current squad to impress and earn their place.
It is no secret that Chelsea are lacking in defensive numbers, and this should give a boost to those involved in the match against Udinese.
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The likes of Ethan Ampadu and Levi Colwill have been handed an opportunity in pre-season, with the Welshman most notably impressing against Club America on the right of a back three.
The lack of options in midfield saw him play there against Arsenal and Charlotte FC, but his most impressive performance came at the back, where Tuchel is looking to make additions.
If Ampadu is trusted here against Udinese as Ruben Loftus-Cheek and N’Golo Kante return to the squad, he must take his opportunity.
This could see him earn his place in the team for the first match of the season against Everton, much like Trevoh Chalobah did last season.
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Ampadu is no stranger to Udinese, facing them twice last season as a Venezia player, and he will hope that this experience can help him stake a claim in the squad.
The game is also an opportunity for captain Cesar Azpilicueta to show that his head is still at Chelsea despite heavy rumours linking him to Barcelona.
Speaking earlier this summer, Tuchel admitted that he needs his skipper to be fully committed to the team if he is to play.
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He said: "We (need to) find out if he can give everything that makes him special. I think, with all the respect, he can only be special if he is committed 100 per cent and does not have another little voice in his head, not one concern in his head, that he should have done something differently.
"He is only the guy he is when he is fully committed. That is his foundation. So this is what we have to find out. That does not mean we find it out tomorrow or today, we still have time because we are also in the privileged position where we have a contract. We have to see."
New signing Kalidou Koulibaly got his first minutes against Arsenal and impressed. He will n doubt be hoping to get more minutes in the tanks and stake a claim for a place against Everton.
Furthermore, Colwill has been linked with a departure throughout the window and has been unlucky with injuries during pre-season as many thought he could fight for a place in Tuchel’s squad.
If selected, he will have to put in an impressive performance to earn his place for the season ahead, with a surplus of options at the back as it is.
Emerson has been trialled as a left centre-back during pre-season due to the quality of depth at left wing-back, and will be hoping that he can get some more minutes in the final match of pre-season.
Further forward, Conor Gallagher looks like he will remain at the club but it is yet to be clear as to what his role will be.
Struggling against Arsenal in Chelsea’s 4-0 loss, Gallagher played deeper and looked uncomfortable.
He must now show that this was merely a blip during pre-season and that he can adapt to the role that Tuchel wants him to play in.
In attack, several players will be fighting for a spot against Everton.
Armando Broja has been linked with a departure, having suffered a pre-season injury, but the Albanian will be hoping that, if fit, he can impress and put pressure on Kai Havertz.
Callum Hudson-Odoi has worked hard during pre-season to recover from injuries and will be looking to show Tuchel that he has what it takes to break into the starting line-up this season, but it is likely that a front three of Raheem Sterling, Havertz and Mason Mount will be preferred to build up fitness ahead of the Premier League opener.
Ziyech and Werner will have to show to Tuchel that they remain committed despite interest from elsewhere.
It remains to be seen as to who will start for the Blues against Udinese, with the line-up thought to be close to that which will begin the Premier League season for Chelsea.
Now is the last chance for those to stake their claim for a place against Everton, and perhaps fight for their Chelsea careers as Tuchel must make a decision with time running out to the new season.
Topics: Chelsea, Thomas Tuchel, Football, Premier League
Nick Emms