Chelsea set BIZARRE Premier League record

Cameron Smith

• Updated: 25 Oct 2024 14:01 BST
• 3 min read

Chelsea have become the first team in Premier League history to go eight games into a new season without using a single player over the age of 27.

The Blues have shifted their transfer strategy since Clearlake Capital’s arrival in 2022 and the club now almost exclusively sign players aged 25 or under as they look to build a team capable of becoming a dominant force in European football.

Enzo Maresca has named the youngest average starting XI in the Premier League this campaign (23 years and 220 days), with the bulk of Chelsea’s squad currently between the ages of 20 and 24.

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Meanwhile, summer signing Tosin Adarabioyo, who arrived on a free transfer from west London rivals Fulham, is the oldest player to feature for Chelsea in the Premier League this season at 27 years old.

As a result, Chelsea have become the first Premier League team to get eight games into a season without selecting anyone aged over 27, according to BBC Sport.

In fact, 32-year-old goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli is the only player in Chelsea’s first-team squad above the age of 27, and he has only made one appearance for the club since his arrival in 2021.

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Last season, Mauricio Pochettino leant on the experience of Thiago Silva and Raheem Sterling, with the pair amassing a combined 5,775 minutes of action across all competitions.

However, Silva returned to Brazil upon the expiration of his Chelsea contract, while Sterling was loaned out to Arsenal. As a result, Chelsea now have the youngest squad in the Premier League.

What has Enzo Maresca said?

Ahead of Chelsea’s season opener against Manchester City, Maresca was asked about the youthfulness of his squad at Stamford Bridge.

“I like the age,” Maresca said (via The Guardian). “The important thing is they are full of talent. But talent is not enough and we need something more.

“This is the reason we are trying to create some culture, not only on the pitch but also outside the pitch.”