Enzo Maresca has confirmed a boyish Chelsea squad will embark on their 7,000-mile round trip for their latest Conference League clash with Astana in the sub-freezing temperatures of Kazakhstan.
As broken by Mail Sport on Monday, a total of 11 Cobham graduates are now listed in the club’s UEFA squad.
Josh Acheampong is one of those set for his first senior start after positive progress was made in his contract stand-off which previously saw the 18-year-old frozen out.
Having won all four of their Conference League fixtures, Maresca wants to use this fifth outing to showcase some of their academy talent, with Harrison Murray-Campbell, Kaiden Wilson, Ato Ampah and Richard Olise – the brother of Bayern Munich star Michael Olise – among those who could debut.
Kiano Dyer and Shim Mheuka would also be debutants, though they could stay in England to be used in Chelsea Under 18s’ FA Youth Cup clash with Leicester.
It is forecasted to reach as low as minus 11 in the city of Almaty on Thursday and Maresca said on Acheampong: ‘We all love Josh, the club loves Josh, I love Josh and we are trying to find an agreement.
Enzo Maresca says he will ‘probably’ unleash the kids against Astana amid a packed schedule
That includes Josh Aceampong, the academy star who has been involved in a contract wrangle
Maresca’s operates with largely different squads in the Premier League compared to Europe
‘We are close, we are almost there. He is in the squad and is probably going to play from the start.’ On whether there will be debutants, Maresca added: ‘Probably, yes.’
Noni Madueke is among the senior stars who will stay in London in preparation for their next Premier League test with Brentford on Sunday.
Mykhailo Mudryk was also absent from training on Wednesday after missing Chelsea’s last two matches with illness.