Chelsea’s Best XI After 2025 Summer Transfer Window

Following a couple of seasons far removed from the business end of English football, Chelsea turned the corner in 2024–25 and now aim to become protagonists in the Premier League title race.

Enzo Maresca started his tenure in Chelsea’s dugout with an impressive first semester, but a drastic drop in form in January saw the Blues collapse out of the title race entirely. Then came the climax of the term and Champions League football was secured, along with two pieces of silverware: the UEFA Conference League and 2025 Club World Cup—the first two trophies of the new ownership era.

After a busy summer of major squad turnaround with both incomings and outgoings, Chelsea are feeling good about building on last season’s success.

Maresca has a powerful squad at his disposal achieve his goals. Here’s Chelsea‘s strongest XI on paper following their summer transfer window business.

Chelsea’s Best XI After 2025 Summer Transfer Window (4-2-3-1)

GK: Robert Sánchez

Goalkeeper was one of the few positions Chelsea didn’t address during the summer transfer window—though they did explore a deal for AC Milan’s Mike Maignan. As a result, Robert Sánchez will continue to man Chelsea’s goal despite still being prone to the occasional mistake.

The Blues believe Mike Penders, who’s currently on loan at sister club Strasbourg, could very well be their goalkeeper of the future. This could explain why Chelsea have opted to keep Sánchez as their starter for another season.

Although it’s clear Chelsea are lacking an elite-level goalkeeper, it also must be said that the Spaniard has looked better of late, especially during the Club World Cup.

RB: Reece James

It seems as though Reece James has finally managed to leave the constant battles with injuries that sidelined him for the better part of two years behind him. After being carefully managed by Maresca last season, this could be the term where James is fully unleashed.

Chelsea’s captain, when fit, is one of the best right backs in the sport. A stout, physical defensive presence with impeccable technique and an unlimited passing range with vision to match, he’s just as capable of overlapping down the wing or inverting into midfield.

His minutes might continue to be carefully managed, but there’s no doubt James is a much-needed presence in the most important games of the season.

CB: Trevoh Chalobah

Since Chelsea decided to prematurely end Trevoh Chalobah’s loan at Crystal Palace back in January, the Cobham graduate has constantly kept proving the Blues made a mistake letting him go in the first place.

Chalobah is one of the most underrated centre backs in the Premier League, but it seems he finally has established himself as a mainstay in Chelsea’s lineup. With Levi Colwill out for a considerable time with an ACL injury and Wesley Fofana still battling constant injury setbacks, Chalobah’s presence in Maresca’s back line continues to grow in importance.

CB: Tosin Adarabioyo

Tosin Adarabioyo landed at Stamford Bridge on a free transfer from Fulham last summer in a move that many considered to be purely for depth purposes. However, because of the long list of injuries in the heart of defense, Tosin has become a regular under Maresca, who has openly hailed the defender as the only suitable replacement for Colwill in the squad.

A physical presence that thrives in the air both in defence and in attack, “Uncle Tosin”—as Chelsea players nicknamed him—has proven to be a bargain signing. At 27 years old, he’s the most senior player in Chelsea’s XI and has become one of the main leaders in the dressing room.

LB: Marc Cucurella

Marc Cucurella struggled for consistency when he joined Chelsea in the summer of 2022. Then came the 2024 European Championship, where he played a crucial role in Spain’s magical run to the title. That tournament was a turning point in Cucurella’s career, as he’s become one of the best fullbacks in the world since.

The Spaniard is a tenacious and tireless defender who is more than capable of holding his own against some of the best wingers in the Premier League. He’s also added a spark in attack recently, tallying seven goals and four assists a season ago.

The promising Jorrel Hato was brought in this summer as much needed cover at left back. Nevertheless, Cucurella is poised to be a mainstay in the lineup after leading the Blues in appearances in 2024–25.

DM: Moisés Caicedo

Two years after Chelsea sent £115 million ($155.7 million) to Brighton to bring Moisés Caicedo to Stamford Bridge, the Ecuadorian is now soaring past the expectations his price tag inevitably produced.

Caicedo is a relentless duel-winner, a vacuum in the heart of midfield that covers ground and is capable of stifling any seemingly dangerous opponent incursion. He’s in charge of the dirty work, anchoring and balancing Maresca’s side so those around him can operate more freely. Still, he’s very comfortable on the ball and is usually the first pass out of the back in build-up.

Caicedo is irreplaceable in Chelsea’s XI and will be crucial to their success this season.

DM: Enzo Fernández

The other £100 million midfielder in Chelsea’s XI. Enzo Fernández has all the tools a modern day central midfielder needs to thrive. He has exceptional vision and passing range, underrated skills, a high motor and, lately, a knack for a goal.

The 2022 FIFA World Cup champion shone as a deep-lying playmaker for Argentina, but that’s a role he’s struggled to find the same success in since joining the Premier League—or one he’s rarely been deployed in. Still, Maresca has managed to transform Fernández into an elite box-crasher, resulting in his goal contributions skyrocketing since the turn of the year.

Although the Argentine can still be erratic at times, he’s become a very valuable piece in Chelsea’s lineup, one that has his fingerprints in all aspects of the game.

AM: Cole Palmer

Cole Palmer remains the focal point of Chelsea’s attack, a player capable of producing magic at any time and who has shown he can win a game by himself.

Whether he’s starting closer to the right wing or as a No. 10, Palmer has a magic wand in his left foot and is at the heart of every Chelsea attack. He’s just as prone to picking out a devastating line-breaking pass as he is to belting a curling shot to the far post.

RW: Estêvão

Chelsea fans had to wait a year to get to see 18-year-old Brazilian phenom Estêvão Willian put on the blue shirt. The wait is finally over and Estêvão has already shown glimpses of his enormous potential.

There’ll surely be bumps along the road as the teenager settles into the high-paced, physical style of the Premier League. However, his skillset will only develop with playing time and Maresca seems to understand this thus far.

Although Pedro Neto is also preferred on the right wing, the Portuguese is just as capable on the left and has played there with Estêvão on the right. The Brazilian is one of the most exciting young players in the world who is considered to have a very bright future ahead of him. Yet, the future might be now for the former Palmeiras player.

LW: Pedro Neto

The speedy Pedro Neto is a menace down either wing and has recently unlocked his best form since joining Chelsea last summer. When he’s deployed on the left, he has the ability to take on his man and whip in crosses—one of his strongest attributes—with his preferred left foot.

Chelsea signed both Jamie Gittens and Alejandro Garnacho during the summer and the pair could challenge for playing time as the season matures. But as of now, both summer signings are unproven commodities and will have to prove to Maresca they deserve a place in the lineup.

If one of those two players does secure a starting role, then the likely outcome would be that Neto goes to the right wing and Estêvão is forced to give up his spot.

ST: João Pedro

In a transfer window where Chelsea spent over £200 million on new signings, João Pedro is the only 2025 summer recruit that cracks the starting XI—Estêvão was signed in 2024.

The Brazilian had a mighty start to his Chelsea career, bagging five goals and two assists in his first six competitive matches for the club. Pedro joined Chelsea from Brighton and immediately played a key role in conquering the 2025 Club World Cup.

With Liam Delap on the shelf for the foreseeable future and Nicolas Jackson now at Bayern Munich, Pedro will get the bulk of the minutes at centre forward for Chelsea moving forward, with the recently recalled Marc Guiu as his only natural cover.

Pedro is already one of the most important players in Maresca’s lineup and that influence only stands to grow as the season continues.