Former Premier League player and current BBC pundit Alan Hutton has suggested that there could be some unrest emerging behind-the-scenes in the Chelsea dressing room due to the significant number of players currently in Graham Potter’s squad.
Following significant spending from new owner Todd Boehly across the two previous transfer windows, the Blues currently have 32 players in their senior ranks, making them the joint-second biggest squad in the Premier League.
Having won just one of their eight previous league games, Potter has found himself under pressure, which has led to one pundit suggesting that the current crop of players at Stamford Bridge could be adding to the manager’s troubles.
Speaking to Football Insider, Hutton had this to say about the size of Chelsea’s squad and the problems this could create for Potter.
He said: “It is really difficult. Normally when you are in the first team you are not really going to train with more than 20 or 21 players, that is including a few goalkeepers. That is probably the max number.
“If they are sitting with 30 players, most of them will be internationals, they are having to leave some to play with the U23s. That is not good.
“You can imagine some of the egos in there that will be upset, not wanting to train with the kids. Then there’s wee cliques than can come about, I have seen it happen at clubs.
“It is something that is really going to be sorted out. He is going to have to figure out who is squad is moving forward and who he can get out the door.”
Taking a closer look at Chelsea’s squad, Potter currently has four goalkeepers, five centre-backs, five full-backs, nine midfielders, five wingers, three centre-forwards and a second-striker in his ranks.
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While some of these players are currently out injured, this still shows that the 47-year-old has a lot of names to keep happy, which will surely add to the pressure he’s already under as he could well be at risk of losing some potentially unhappy players in the summer.
Looking ahead, with the Blues boss currently having the backing of the Chelsea hierarchy, the best thing they can do is end the season as strongly as possible by working out his best XI and team tactics, and then use the summer window to trim the squad however he sees fit ahead of their next campaign.