Chelsea

Matthew Hobbs
BBC Sport journalist

Nottingham Forest resume Premier League proceedings aiming for a first win at the eighth attempt under Ange Postecoglou against a Chelsea side who defeated champions Liverpool last time out.

BBC Sport examines some of the key themes ahead of Saturday's lunchtime clash at the City Ground.

Postecoglou's poor start

Five defeats, two draws and 15 goals conceded is not the start Ange Postecoglou may have envisaged when replacing Nuno Espirito Santo as Nottingham Forest boss.

The Australian has barely been in the job a month but is already facing question marks over his future, with reports last weekend suggesting former Everton manager Sean Dyche is waiting in the wings should Forest's poor form continue.

Postecoglou has now lost 30 of his past 49 Premier League games with former club Tottenham and Forest, a recent record that may not help dissuade his detractors.

However, Forest's problems, particularly in defence, predate Postecoglou's arrival: they haven't kept a clean sheet in any of their past 15 Premier League games, their joint-longest run since returning to the competition in 2022.

And the task for Forest's manager does not get any easier. Next up, its Chelsea and Postecoglou has lost all four Premier League meetings against the Blues.

Chelsea aim to back up Liverpool win

Chelsea counterpart Enzo Maresca had been under some pressure following back to back defeats to Manchester United and Bayern Munich, although a 2-1 victory against Liverpool ahead of the international break has assuaged some of the unease at Stamford Bridge.

Willian Estevao's stoppage-time goal knocked Liverpool off top spot in the Premier League and he is one of several key players whom Maresca will rely on as injuries continue to take their toll on Chelsea's squad.

Maresca could be missing up to nine players for the trip to the City Ground, including Cole Palmer, who has been ruled out for another six weeks due to an ongoing groin injury.

In the absence of other star names, Chelsea's key performer so far this season has undoubtedly been Moises Caicedo.

The combative Ecuador international has been one of the most effective midfielders in the Premier League this season, making more tackles and more interceptions than any player so far.

On Saturday he will face another in-form midfielder in the guise of Forest's Elliot Anderson, who again impressed on international duty with England in the World Cup qualifying win against Latvia on Tuesday night.

The 22-year-old has won back possession a league-high 55 times this season and his battle with Caicedo could go a long way to deciding the outcome of a crucial match for Forest's manager.

The treatment that Ange Postecoglou is getting from Nottingham Forest fans is just ridiculous.

It saddens me, actually, that they are calling for him to be sacked after just seven games - and I don't think it's fair at all.

I covered Forest's defeat at Newcastle before the international break. That was the result I expected, and Newcastle thoroughly deserved to win too, but it still showed all this talk of how Ange can only play one way is wrong, because Forest were not open at all at St James' Park - they tried to contain Newcastle and played on the counter.

The problem they had was that they could not get up the pitch, but if you were a Forest fan watching that game then you would be thinking that Ange did try and play with a bit of balance.

Now they are at home, the onus will be on them to go forward more against Chelsea, whose manager Enzo Maresca has also come under pressure this season.

Chelsea's late victory over Liverpool last time out was important for Maresca after back-to-back league defeats.

In many ways I hope Forest win, to take the heat off Postecoglou a little, but I don't see it happening.

Sutton's prediction: 1-2

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Nizaar Kinsella
Chelsea reporter

Image source, Getty Images

A recent report from footballers' union Fifpro revealed that Moises Caicedo faces an "unequal workload" compared to other footballers.

The report detailed how Caicedo travelled almost 25,000km (15,500 miles) to play four matches in 14 days for club and country in October 2024.

It read: "In 14 days, Caicedo played a total of 360 minutes across two continents and three countries, with an average recovery time of 110.8 hours, while flying more than half the length of the equator." It also said Caicedo "made 27 trips across borders and was in transit for 175.6 hours" last season.

Chelsea's players had only 20 days off this summer (eight fewer than recommended) and 13 days of pre-season (15 fewer than recommended), because of their Club World Cup-winning campaign, which added seven matches in the US.

Asked about Caicedo after the win over Liverpool, assistant manager Willy Caballero said: "He has played a lot of games with the Club World Cup and with the national team, so we need to manage him sometimes."

Caicedo has since received his first break from international duty since joining Chelsea. Sources close to him described him as "exhausted" in recent weeks.

Still, Caicedo takes his international commitments seriously, having helped Ecuador finish second in the South American qualifying group, ahead of Brazil, to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.

Caicedo, the youngest of 10 siblings, grew up in poverty in Ecuador but has lifted himself and his family out of it through football, becoming a footballing icon back home. In a recent interview in Ecuador, one commentator described Caicedo as "our [Michael] Jordan."

Having focused entirely on football until recently, Caicedo is now earning from sponsorships, signing deals worth millions with nine brands over the past year, including Ecuadorian bank Banco Guayaquil and a Chinese internet provider.

A Mini Moi children's cartoon is also in development to share his story with Latin American audiences.

Read more about how pivotal for Chelsea Caicedo is here

Nizaar Kinsella
Chelsea reporter

Image source, Getty Images

It is no secret that Cole Palmer is one of Chelsea's star players, so any prolonged absence is a major blow.

The 23-year-old was involved in 39 Premier League goals in 2024 (26 goals and 13 assists), breaking Chelsea's club record for a single calendar year.

Last season, Palmer starred in the Conference League and Club World Cup finals, delivering two goals and three assists across both matches.

Medical staff have since dealt with Palmer's painful recurring groin injury, trying unsuccessfully to manage him through the season so far.

Palmer withdrew from the warm-up minutes before facing West Ham in August, pulled out of England international duty in September, and came off after 21 minutes in the defeat at Manchester United.

That game at Old Trafford proved to be the final straw, as Chelsea stopped trying to manage Palmer through the season and sought to resolve his injury once and for all.

The current stance from Maresca and the club is that surgery will not be needed, but it remains to be seen whether Palmer can fully overcome the injury after this latest setback within the new time frame.

Nicola Pearson
BBC Sport journalist

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game against Nottingham Forest at the City Ground (kick-off 12:30 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Maresca admitted that he "was wrong" about Cole Palmer returning after the international break and confirmed the forward "needs to be out for six more weeks" so they can "protect" him, but he does not need surgery.

• On if he is confident the extra rest will help: "Yes, but the medical staff are not magicians. You need six weeks and we hope six weeks will be enough. A problem we need to see step-by-step, week-by-week."

• He said it is "difficult to replace Cole" as he is "one of the best players in the Premier League" and is "unique", adding: "With what we have it depends on the gameplan. Against Liverpool it was [Malo] Gusto. Against Benfica it was Enzo [Fernandez]. We have to find another player with different qualities because we don't have a player like Cole."

• The Blues boss also confirmed that Reece James is fit but Benoit Badiashile "is out until December with a muscular problem". Maresca said they will have to see if Moises Caicedo, Fernandez and Pedro Neto can train today, otherwise "they will be out tomorrow".

• On his celebration against Liverpool that led to a sending off: "It was a big moment for many reasons. Firstly, it is because, since I joined club, we have never won a game at home in the last minute. The other reason was we were playing, in this moment, the champions of England. It was an important moment for sure. For me personally, it was a normal reaction and that is all."

• He added: "It was a nice moment. Last season I was banned for one game because of accumulation of yellows. My last yellow card was Fulham away when we won in the last minute. It is part of the job. But I think it was very nice for everyone - fans, stadium - and it was just a reaction."

• Maresca said that they have "changed nothing" between last season and this season to improve their set pieces, but "between scoring and conceding, we are doing quite well".

• On Forest conceding a lot of goals after the 70th minute and if that impacts his plans for substitutions: "When we analyse a team we try and consider everything. We have watched all the games with Ange [Postecoglou] in charge, so making changes, you sometimes plan but also it depends on the game. With the amount of games now we need to think of changes not only during, but also the starting XI."

Follow all of Friday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

Nizaar Kinsella
Chelsea reporter at Cobham Training Centre

Image source, Getty Images

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca will speak at his news conference this morning from an increased position of strength.

The last time we saw the Italian, he was sprinting nearly 50 yards to celebrate Estevao Willian's last-minute winner at home against Liverpool before the international break.

Now, he will have caught his breath, both metaphorically and physically, and the two-week break will have allowed him to reset.

Meanwhile, tiring players Joao Pedro, Moises Caicedo, and Reece James have received full rests from their national teams, while Marc Cucurella and Enzo Fernandez also missed matches.

There is also hope that injured players like Tosin Adarabioyo and Wesley Fofana will return to face an under-fire Nottingham Forest boss Ange Postecoglou on Saturday.

Image source, Getty Images

The 25-player shortlist for the Golden Boy award was revealed on Wednesday, with nine players from the Premier League selected.

The award, created by Italian newspaper Tuttosport, is given to the best under-21 footballer each year, with Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal last year's winner.

For a player to be considered for selection in 2025, they must have been born on or after 1 January 2005 and belong to a squad in one of Uefa's top 25 leagues.

Arsenal's Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri have both been selected after their breakthrough seasons in 2024-25.

Lewis-Skelly played 40 times across all competitions and also made his England senior debut, while Nwaneri appeared 37 times and scored nine goals.

Chelsea are represented twice, with summer arrivals Estevao, who scored his first goal for the club with a dramatic late winner against Liverpool before the international break, and defender Jorrel Hato making the shortlist.

Tottenham Hotspur also feature, with midfielders Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray being chosen.

Manchester United defender Leny Yoro, Manchester City full-back Nico O'Reilly and Liverpool centre half Giovanni Leoni - a wildcard choice - have also been selected.

An international jury of 50 journalists will decide the winner, which will be revealed at a news conference in November.

Nizaar Kinsella
Chelsea reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Chelsea may have had back-to-back wins over Benfica and Liverpool, but the international break was a reset the club desperately needed.

The Blues had eight injured players before the 2-1 win at Stamford Bridge against the Reds a fortnight ago, with others beginning to tire or playing through knocks.

Moises Caicedo, Joao Pedro, and Reece James were all allowed to bypass international duty through tiredness. Marc Cucurella and Enzo Fernandez missed matches despite being called up.

Tosin Adarabioyo and Wesley Fofana are expected to return from injury, while Cole Palmer is back in November.

Fernandez withdrew from international duty due to 'inflammation of the knee', according to the Argentine FA.

However, it is understood that the midfielder had always planned to miss the friendly match with Puerto Rico this week and had planned to see family during his leave.

Of course, Fernandez has played a lot this season and featured in the Club World Cup with Chelsea in the summer, so it was more load management than any specific injury.

It means Fernandez will likely be capable of facing Nottingham Forest on Saturday.

Nizaar Kinsella
Chelsea reporter

The data clearly shows that Moises Caicedo belongs in the debate over the league's top midfielders.

No midfielder in Europe's top five leagues has made more tackles (28) or interceptions (18) this season than Caicedo.

The 28 tackles represent 23% of Chelsea's overall tackles, the second-highest ratio by a player in a season which data analysts Opta have on record since 2006-07.

Only Burnley's Josh Cullen has recorded more defensive blocks among midfielders.

Since last season, Caicedo has made more tackles (142) than any other player without being sent off or receiving a suspension for yellow card accumulation, showcasing his precise tackling.

He makes more tackles and wins a higher percentage of duels (59%) than Arsenal's Declan Rice and Liverpool's Ryan Gravenberch, both often considered among the league's best midfielders.

It is unclear whether Caicedo's attacking output will continue at this level. His three goals this season, from an expected goals (xG) of 0.5, include two from outside the box, tying Bournemouth's Antoine Semenyo for the league's highest total.

Since the beginning of last season, Rice has contributed the most offensively among midfielders, with more goals, assists and passes into the box, aided by his set-piece duties for Arsenal.

Caicedo dominates defensively, while Gravenberch balances defensive and attacking roles. Other top midfielders include former Ballon d'Or winner Rodri, currently sidelined by injury at Manchester City, and Newcastle's Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes.

Chris Collinson
BBC Sport statistician

Image source, Getty Images

The Premier League table is starting to take shape and while results are obviously what matter most, they don't tell the whole story in terms of how teams have been playing so far.

Expected goals (xG) tells us how much teams have been dominating games by creating lots of good chances up front and restricting opponents to few, bad ones at the back.

Penalties are excluded because they distort a team's numbers on how threatening or vulnerable they are in general, especially at this early stage.

Below is a graphic showing how good teams have been in attack and defence, with the most dominant teams in the top-right corner and the least impressive in the bottom-left corner.

Arsenal and Manchester City have been the most dominant sides, with the Gunners having the best defence and fourth-best attack and City the joint-best attack and fourth-best defence.

High-flying Crystal Palace are the only side to rival City's attacking threat, while Newcastle are living up to their name by being almost as impregnable at the back as Arsenal.

Both Manchester United and Chelsea have one of the top five attacks in the league but worryingly also rank in the bottom five defensively.

• Find and follow your Premier League club on BBC Sport

Liverpool's back-to-back defeats following five straight wins gives a more accurate picture of how they have been playing, while Tottenham have needed to be very efficient to make up for their lack of dominance in games.

Aston Villa's early-season struggles are no longer to do with finishing - they have now scored six non-penalty goals from an xG of 6.0 - but simply because they have not been playing well.

While promoted sides Leeds and Sunderland have adapted quite well to the top-flight, Burnley have struggled to make the jump so far with both the worst attack and the worst defence.

Read more on what expected goals tell us about the start to the season

Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has doubts about his long-term future at Stamford Bridge amid Juventus considering the 45-year-old Italian as a serious candidate to take charge of the Serie A club. (Teamtalk), external

Manchester City are plotting a £75m bid for Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson next summer but are likely to face stiff competition from Chelsea for the 22-year-old England international. (Express), external

Turkey forward Kenan Yildiz continues to push for an improved contract at Juventus but with talks yet to bear fruit, clubs including Chelsea, Arsenal and Barcelona are keeping a close eye on the 20-year-old. (Gazzetta dello Sport - in Italian), external

Juventus have rebuffed multiple enquiries for France defensive midfielder Khephren Thuram, 24, from Premier League clubs including Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool during the past six months. (TBR Football), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip column

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Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has received a one-match touchline ban and £8,000 fine following his sending off against Liverpool.

The 45-year-old received a second yellow card in the 96th minute after celebrating his side's winning goal against the Reds at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, 4 October.

It means the Blues boss will not be in the dugout for the trip to Nottingham Forest at the City Ground on Saturday in the Premier League.

Maresca will not be banned from entering Chelsea's dressing room as FA rules state managers are allowed in there before kick-off, at half-time and at full-time.

He will also be able to communicate with his staff "by means of telephone, a runner or any other electronic device such as a radio or mobile phone" during the match.

It is Maresca's second touchline ban as Chelsea manager, serving his first suspension in April 2025 after picking up a third yellow card of the season while celebrating Pedro Neto's 93rd-minute winner at Fulham.

Phil McNulty
Chief football writer

Image source, Getty Images

Cole Palmer's England career has, so far, been a mixed bag ranging from the moment of brilliance that gave England hope with the equaliser against Spain in what was eventually a losing cause in the Euro 2024 final in Berlin, to other occasions when he has left even supporters of his superb talent wanting more.

Palmer's current problem is a lingering groin injury. Further down the line it will be the Chelsea star performing in consistently eye-catching fashion that might persuade Thomas Tuchel to find a place for the 23-year-old in what is already a crowded area.

Tuchel is unlikely to start fitting square pegs in round holes so close to a major tournament - therefore Palmer, who has only played 64 minutes under the German, has work to do.

He is unlikely to get in as the 10, with Morgan Rogers currently in possession and Jude Bellingham waiting in the wings.

It is hard to see a place on the flanks, where he is less effective, with Anthony Gordon and Marcus Rashford contenders on the left and Arsenal pair Bukayo Saka and Noni Madueke fighting for a place on the right.

This effectively means Palmer will have to produce a spectacular run of form to force his way back into Tuchel's thinking.

Read the full list of players with points to prove here

Nizaar Kinsella
Chelsea reporter

Chelsea teenager Jesse Derry is delivering at youth level after a summer of uncertainty.

The 18-year-old winger has scored in his past two Premier League 2 matches and continued his form with a goal for England Under-19s on Tuesday.

However, it follows a turbulent summer where a decision to leave Crystal Palace - despite multiple contract offers - weighed heavy.

Derry did not talk to other clubs until after his contract expired on 30 June and ultimately signed for Chelsea until 2029, rejecting other clubs in England and abroad.

It proved difficult to leave Palace, a club Derry joined aged five - especially given that his father, Shaun, played 222 times for the club and had coached in the academy set-up.

Yet, there was concern around Palace's track record at bringing players through, with Wilfried Zaha being the last academy product to make the grade; Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Tyrick Mitchell, and Justin Devenny were signed from elsewhere before getting their chance.

Chelsea were able to pitch the fact that manager Enzo Maresca gave a record eight academy debuts last season, and the likes of Marc Guehi, Tino Livramento, and Lewis Hall are playing Premier League football having opted to leave the club.

In addition, Derry also grew up supporting Chelsea through his boyhood admiration for Eden Hazard.

Born in Leeds while his dad played at Elland Road, Derry followed the tail end of his father's playing career, and he got to see a 17-year-old Jack Grealish up close when he was managed by Shaun on loan at Notts County in 2013.

Now, Derry has displayed his own range of talent by coring three different types of goals in three consecutive matches - a powerful shot, a header and then a lob with England against Wales this week.

Image source, Getty Images

Chelsaea have no concern over the future of Ecuador midfielder Moises Caicedo, 23, following the public axing of his agent. (Telegraph - subscription required), external

Caicedo is set to be rewarded with a new contract by Chelsea to ward off interest from Real Madrid. (Teamtalk), external

Chelsea and Barcelona are monitoring Dinamo Zagreb's 16-year-old Portuguese forward Cardoso Varela. (Mundo Deportivo - in Spanish), external

Former Celtic youngster Justin Osagie has sealed a dream move to Chelsea just over a year after he was released by the Hoops. (Scottish Sun), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Wednesday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Will Faulks
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

It was in May 2024 that the first links between Chelsea and Estevao Willian started to be reported. A deal to sign him the following summer was soon concluded, and since then Blues fans have waited patiently to see him unleashed.

They cannot wait much longer.

Supporters have been tracking the youngster ever since those first rumours, and the excitement has continued to build. Some really special moments - a first Brazil goal, scoring against Chelsea in the Club World Cup, some ridiculous displays in the Brazilian league - kept raising expectations further, but it felt like the last minute winner against Liverpool in the final game before the international break was the 18-year-old's real coming-out party.

After the game, TV pundits around the world showered him with praise and he took his first major step from highly-rated talent to household name, at least in footballing circles.

As talents go, you almost could not design one more suited to get supporters excited. A pure one-on-one dribbler who is not afraid to shoot and has the natural movement and instincts of a goalscorer, Estevao looks utterly fearless despite his age.

The much repeated lines about needing to be patient with him and his development are made to look faintly ridiculous by just how confident and capable he is already.

Manager Enzo Maresca is doing his best to protect the prodigy, but there is only so much he can do when Estevao continues to make such important impressions from the bench.

For now, fans will be content to see him arrive as a game-breaking roll of the dice in the second halves of games.

But if he keeps looking so much more dangerous than his rivals for minutes on the wing, it will only be a matter of time before the coach has little choice but to give him regular starts.

Find more from Will Faulks at Chelsea News, external

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Nizaar Kinsella
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

There was some confusion among Chelsea fans on Monday when Moises Caicedo posted a slightly cryptic statement on social media, saying he has separated from former agents Manuel Sierra of Football Division Worldwide and Ali Barat of Epic.

The final line of the statement - posted on a background of Caicedo celebrating and signed by solicitor Chris Farnell - read the midfielder "has now appointed people that he can trust".

While on the surface it appeared there may have been some argument or rift between the Ecuador international and his previous representatives, it is simply that he is now being advised by his family without a formal agent.

This has been Caicedo's long-term plan after using two agencies to move to Brighton and Chelsea.

The post has been taken down due to the awkward wording but there is no ill will intended towards his previous representatives.

Chelsea's pursuit of Crystal Palace's Adam Wharton has intensified but they face competition from Manchester United for the 21-year-old England midfielder. (Teamtalk), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Tuesday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

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In the final part of our Q&A special with Chelsea reporter Nizaar Kinsella, we look at the Blues' form and the impact of Estevao Willian.

Rob asked: Do you think Estevao Willian's impact against Liverpool is likely to give him an opportunity as a regular starter in Cole Palmer's absence?

Nizaar answered: Estevao will slowly earn more and more minutes at Chelsea. To be honest, at just 18, he can be quite happy with the chances he has been given already.

There is no doubting his ability but there are still improvements he needs to make physically and tactically to be trusted week in, week out. That ugly side of the game did not come naturally to Palmer either, but he is a brilliant all-round footballer now.

Those with long enough memories might be able to remember fair questions about Palmer's defensive or pressing output in his first season under Mauricio Pochettino and, understandably, they are not strengths of Estevao either.

• Not a Blues fan? Find and follow your club here

Sean asked: With as many red cards as we have had recently, it is hard to get a clear picture on our form at the moment. What do you make of Chelsea's underlying form? Are we good, or are we a promising young team still too prone to individual mistakes?

Nizaar answered: I was a little worried about Chelsea's performances going into the Brighton match at the end of September.

Yet, despite losing that game, I thought the Blues were excellent for 52 minutes and defeat came because of a poor reaction to having Trevoh Chalobah sent off.

They ground out a dull 1-0 home win over Benfica, then produced a heroic effort in challenging circumstances to beat Liverpool 2-1 before the international break. I would say those three matches show Chelsea are still progressing under manager Enzo Maresca and with these players.

If they win a few games after the break, people will talk about them as title contenders again, but I still see them as a little short of that absolute top level in the Premier League.

Scroll down this page to find the rest of Monday's Q&A with Nizaar.

Image source, Getty Images

In part two of Monday's Q&A with Chelsea reporter Nizaar Kinsella, we focus on the club's plans for stadium redevelopment.

Mohammad asked: What is the progress on Chelsea's stadium plan? Is it looking like a move to Earl's Court or a Stamford Bridge expansion and how soon?

Nizaar answered: The Stamford Bridge expansion looks more likely but there is still some window of opportunity open on taking a site which is currently controlled by the Earl's Court Development Company (ECDC).

It feels probable that the ECDC will get planning permission at the end of 2025 to kill off any chances of Chelsea moving to a new site and selling the valuable plot of land at Stamford Bridge.

The limit to just one main option should focus minds to start the redevelopment of the current ground - given there isn't any other well-placed land available in west London big enough to host a massive stadium.

Club president Jason Gannon is leading a team planning the stadium project.

It wouldn't surprise me if we see some kind of formal announcement in 2026 to kick-start this process.

Come back to this page later on Monday for the final part of Nizaar's Q&A, which will look at Estevao Willian's impact.

• Not a Blues fan? Find and follow your club here

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Our Chelsea reporter Nizaar Kinsella has been answering your questions. In the first part, he discusses the Blues' potential January transfer plans.

Tim asked: Why do you think there is no noise about us going back for Marc Guehi? Surely it makes perfect sense to try to get him in January given the ongoing injury problems we have at the back?

There seems to be such reluctance from the board to actually buy the players we need but yet have absolutely no qualms about spending big money on attackers like Jamie Gittens etc.

Nizaar answered: All bets are off after Liverpool's deadline day move collapsed. Every top club in Europe is likely to try their luck with Guehi, who has less than a year left on his Crystal Palace deal.

We know the hierarchy at Chelsea is aware of his qualities. However, I doubt injuries will factor in at this stage - given Trevoh Chalobah, Wesley Fofana and Tosin Adarabioyo are due back after the international break.

It would then be a case of whether Chelsea's project appeals to Guehi, if they make an offer and whether he is the profile needed compared with others already on the books. I am not expecting to hear anything on this soon.

Chelsea explored signing defenders before Levi Colwill's injury in the summer, most notably Dean Huijsen, but were happy to just add Jorrel Hato from Ajax, with a view to giving academy graduate Josh Acheampong further chances.

They also have other young players coming through, including Mamadou Sarr and Aaron Anselmino, who is currently on loan at Dortmund, and their future pathway is also being factored in.

Haris asked: Are Chelsea looking for a new goalkeeper in January?

Nizaar answered: Chelsea have money to spend in January but are currently happy with their squad and would only sign a player capable of taking the club to the next level.

They explored a potential market opportunity to sign Mike Maignan, but saw AC Milan's £25m price as too high for a player with a year left on his contract and walked away.

Of course, that price will probably come down in January, but the Blues are broadly happy with the form of Robert Sanchez, who won the Golden Glove at the Club World Cup, and are not expected to return to the market.

Youngster Mike Penders is also at the club, with his future chances another factor to consider.

Come back to this page later on Monday for part two of the Q&A with Nizaar, which will focus on progress towards a new stadium.