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By KIERAN GILL

Wesley Fofana has not been included in Chelsea’s Club World Cup squad with the decision made to allow him to focus on getting fit for the next Premier League season.

The 24-year-old Frenchman, who Blues boss Enzo Maresca has gone on record as saying he is ‘in love’ with, is still working his way back from hamstring surgery in April.

Rather than rush his return for the tournament in the United States, Fofana is being treated with caution as he is considered a key defender for their next campaign.

Chelsea have filed their final list of players to FIFA ahead of the Club World Cup’s start this weekend.

The Blues are due to face Los Angeles FC in their first group game in Atlanta this Monday and the travelling squad has been decided.

Wesley Fofana will not be going to the Club World Cup with Chelsea this summer

Wesley Fofana will not be going to the Club World Cup with Chelsea this summer

While Fofana will not be named in that list, Mail Sport understands he may still travel to the United States for a period so he can be around team-mates in a united setting.

CHELSEA’S CLUB WORLD CUP SQUAD 

Goalkeepers: Sanchez, Jorgensen, Penders, Slonina

Defenders: Cucurella, Tosin, Badiashile, Colwill, Sarr, Chalobah, Gusto, Anselmino, Acheampong

Midfielders: Fernandez, Essugo, Santos, Dewsbury-Hall, Caicedo, Lavia

Forwards: Neto, Delap, Palmer, Madueke, Jackson, Nkunku, George, Guiu

Fofana was also left out of Chelsea’s Conference League squad in the last season in a bid to manage his minutes.

His appearances were limited in 2024-25 as he came back in March but was then forced into another lengthy spell on the sidelines, going under the knife in April.

As per the rules of the Club World Cup, Chelsea will be able to add new players to their squad between June 27 to July 3 for the knockout stages of the tournament.

Maresca has also left Djordje Petrovic, Raheem Sterling, Joao Felix and Axel Disasi out of his tournament squad.

All four spent at least the second half of the 2024-25 season out on loan. Petrovic is a particular surprise given Chelsea’s goalkeeping situation and his impressive performances on loan at Strasbourg. 

Andrey Santos, who was also on loan at Strasbourg, as well as new signings, Liam Delap, Dario Essugo, and Mamadou Sarr, have been included. 

Chelsea would have liked to be naming Jamie Gittens and Mike Maignan in their troop for their American trip but were spurned on the miniature deadline day.

Chelsea won the Europa Conference League and finished fourth in the Premier League last season. 

:
Chelsea leave ANOTHER £80m star out of their Club World Cup squad

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