Mauricio Pochettino’s Potential Staring XI at Chelsea Amidst Plans to Axe More Players

• Pochettino has indicated that he will whittle down his squad before the start of the Premier League
• Chelsea has already sold or released at least ten players but remains with a huge squad
• Nicholas Jackson and Christopher Nkunku have hit the ground running in pre-season friendlies

Mauricio Pochettino has revealed plans to trim his squad even further as the start date of the new Premier League season approaches.

The new Chelsea boss is currently overseeing his first preseason training in charge of the Blues in the United States of America, where they have already played a series of friendlies.

One of the team's major issues last season was a bloated squad following the mass arrival of new players in the first two transfer windows of the new owners. Managers Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter and Frank Lampard had an unusually large pool of players to choose from, which in turn affected squad unity.

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Pochettino on trimming Chelsea squad

It is a fact that Pochettino is aware of, with the Argentine insisting that he will remain with a squad of not more than 25 players.

"What we cannot have is a massive squad, players, not be involved and then it's going to create a mess in the squad. Maybe less is more and more is less; it is not mathematical. That is why I need to make clear we don't need a big squad. We need 22, 23, 24 players with some younger and that's it," as quoted by GOAL.

Pochettino took a squad of 30 players to the USA with the likes of Armando Broja, Benoit Badiashile and Marcus Betinelli left at home nursing injuries. The trio will most likely be retained, with Wesley Fofana out for an extended period of time after damaging his ACL.

New signings impress

Summer arrivals Nicholas Jackson, Christopher Nkunku Angelo and Malo Gusto have so far impressed in training and the friendly games, with academy graduate Ian Maatsen, pushing for playing time as well.

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Sky Sports reports that the club is still keeping tabs on Moises Caicedo after more than four midfielders left the club. Apart from the midfield position, Pochettino will feel adequately prepared ahead of their showdown against Liverpool on the opening weekend of the Premier League.

Potential XI: Kepa, James, Silva, Colwill, Chilwell; Andrey Santos, Fernandez; Mudryk, Nkunku, Madueke; Jackson

Hudson-Odoi close to leaving Chelsea

Sports Brief has also reported that Chelsea winger Callum Hudson-Odoi has reportedly agreed to personal terms with Fulham ahead of a possible summer move.

Hudson-Odoi is among a number of Chelsea stars believed to be on their way out of Stamford Bridge after the club oversaw a massive summer overhaul in recent weeks.

The Blues have embarked on a rebuilding mission under new boss Mauricio Pochettino, with the move seeing a number of high-profile players axed.