Chelsea omit Nicolas Jackson and Mykhailo Mudryk amid transfer rumours
Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso has omitted Nicolas Jackson and Mykhailo Mudryk from his first Premier League squad against Fulham ahead of Tuesday’s transfer deadline.
The newly appointed Spanish boss selected Romeo Lavia and Josh Acheampong in his inaugural starting XI at Craven Cottage.
However, the complete absence of several established first-team figures provided the biggest talking point of the afternoon in west London.
Alongside Jackson and Mudryk, the Blues also left Marc Guiu, Tosin Adarabioyo and Dario Essugo entirely out of the matchday setup.
Attacking duo attract widespread interest
Senegal international Jackson is reportedly available for permanent transfer, with the club demanding a fee in the region of £65m.
Aston Villa are closely monitoring the 23-year-old striker as a potential replacement for Ollie Watkins, who is heavily linked with Saudi Arabian side Al Hilal.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian winger Mudryk is not for sale but is expected to leave Stamford Bridge on a temporary basis to secure regular football.
Coventry City and Leeds United have both expressed strong interest in acquiring the lightning-fast attacker on loan.
Despite the Yorkshire club being the former Shakhtar Donetsk player’s preferred destination, Chelsea officials insist talks with Leeds have been definitively terminated.
Clearing out the Stamford Bridge fringes
The sweeping squad changes highlight a decisive approach from Alonso to trim his roster before the window shuts at 23:00 BST next Tuesday.
Teenage Spanish forward Guiu has also been made available for permanent transfer with an asking price set at £25m.
Centre-back Tosin is currently exploring alternative options across Europe after being informed he does not feature in the new manager’s immediate plans.
Portuguese midfielder Essugo represents another likely temporary departure, with Chelsea’s sister club Strasbourg emerging as a viable destination in Ligue 1.
However, the French outfit would only be permitted to sign either Essugo or Mudryk on loan from their parent club due to strict multi-club ownership regulations.