Maignan and Gittens start, Jackson gone – Chelsea predicted XI for next season
Enzo Maresca is set for a new look Chelsea lineup at the start of the 2025/26 Premier League season.
Despite enduring some spells of inconsistent form, the former Leicester City boss has overseen a largely successful first campaign in the Chelsea dugout.
The West London club successfully secured Champions League qualification before claiming Conference League glory by beating Real Betis 4-1 in the final on 28 May.
Meanwhile, Chelsea are closing in on Liam Delap, showing their appetite to move quickly in the transfer market this summer.
Delap could prove to be a successful signing for Maresca’s men, after scoring 12 Premier League goals for an Ipswich Town side who suffered relegation.
The Stamford Bridge club will hope to lift silverware via the Club World Cup this summer, while winning the competition would hand them vital transfer funds.
Meanwhile, Football Insider predict how Chelsea could line up for their first game in next season’s Premier League.
Jamie Gittens and Mike Maignan to make Chelsea debuts in 2025/26 Premier League opener
The West London side’s first starting 11 of next season will be heavily dictated by their transfer activity, while Chelsea plan to sell Noni Madueke if they sign Jamie Gittens this summer, as exclusively revealed by Football Insider.
Meanwhile, Chelsea have been linked with Mike Maignan, who maintained 12 clean sheets in 37 Serie A appearances for AC Milan this season.
Although the Stamford Bridge side are set to sell Madueke to facilitate their move for Gittens, the Borussia Dortmund man predominantly operates on the left wing.
Therefore, Pedro Neto could start on the right should the Dortmund ace replace Madueke in the Blues squad.
Meanwhile, Chelsea could sell Robert Sanchez, which would hand Maignan a starting berth in Maresca’s side, should he agree terms with the Premier League club.
Delap’s imminent arrival could also force Jackson out of the West London outfit’s starting 11.
Jadon Sancho won’t feature for Chelsea in the Club World Cup
Jadon Sancho has endured somewhat of a mixed loan spell at Chelsea from Manchester United, notching five goals and eight assists in 41 appearances across all competitions for Maresca’s side.
| Jadon Sancho Chelsea stats | All competitions 2024/25 |
| Appearances | 41 |
| Goals | 5 |
| Assists | 8 |
But while he still has a month left on his deal at Stamford Bridge, Sancho won’t feature in the Club World Cup, while the Blues appear set to pay the £5million penalty fee to send the winger back to Man United, rather than acquiring his services permanently.
The highlight of the Englishman’s career for Maresca’s men came when he scored in their 4-1 Conference League final win over Real Betis, but that seemingly wasn’t enough to keep him in West London.
Sancho sent a farewell message to Chelsea via Instagram, while parent club Man United face an important summer window after enduring a poor Premier League campaign which saw them finish just 15th in the top flight.
While the winger’s future remains undecided, he could make a Borussia Dortmund return.