Tuchel throws Abraham’s Chelsea future into doubt by leaving him out of FA Cup squad

Stefan Bienkowski

• Updated: 19 May 2021 15:43 BST
• 6 min read

Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel has thrown Tammy Abraham’s future at the club into doubt after reportedly leaving the player out of his matchday squad for Saturday’s FA Cup clash with Manchester City. 

According to Football London, Abraham has been dropped from the squad tasked with beating Manchester City in the semi-finals of the cup competition. 

Like a number of squad players at Stamford Bridge, Abraham has struggled to convince Tuchel that he’s worthy of a starting role in the new manager’s first team plans. 

Indeed, since the German manager took over the London club in late January, Abraham has started just three games for Chelsea and now looks to be on the periphery of Tuchel’s plans at the club. 

Ahead of Saturday’s clash, Tuchel actually hinted at sticking with his preferred attacking front line of Christian Pulisic, Kai Havertz and Mason Mount for the clash with City. 

And then – quite tellingly – suggested that Chelsea’s back-up players need to simply get over themselves and put their egos to one side. 

READ MORE: ‘I can’t understand why Lingard didn’t get his Man Utd chance’ – Coufal

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“We picked the same offensive guys against Crystal Palace and Porto, so the other guys need to fight for their places,” he said ahead of the Blues’ FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City.

“There isn’t much training time between games so in the minutes you have, you have to use them.”

Tuchel added: “It’s important at the moment that the guys who lack minutes, self-confidence and maybe not happy, put their ego aside and be ready.

“Everybody has to fight hard for their place and then to stay in the team. It’s big fun, you have to embrace the situation.”

Could Abraham leave Chelsea this summer? 

With a lack of game time and an abundance of other attacking options at Chelsea, it seems likely that Abraham will, at the very least, push for a loan move away from the club next season. 

The young striker has already proved that he can score goals in the Premier League and would be an enticing addition to most clubs in the English top-flight. 

Alternatively, Chelsea may use the striker as a counter-weight in negotiations for better forwards this summer and could offer Abraham and a sizable transfer fee in exchange for a player like Harry Kane or Erling Haaland.