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Football London
Football London
Sport
Robert Warlow

Chelsea news: Transfer boost for Frank Lampard, David Luiz to Arsenal fallout, 25-man squad

The summer transfer window is now over - and Chelsea can now turn their attention to the new Premier League season.

The Blues had a quiet transfer window in terms of incomings, owing to the transfer ban that Chelsea are currently subject to, with the club unable to register any new players.

Chelsea have signed Mateo Kovacic this summer, following his loan spell from Real Madrid last season, while there have been many outgoings, both permanently and on loan deals.

But Chelsea head coach Frank Lampard is now focused on the opening weekend clash with Manchester United at Old Trafford, with the Blues travelling north to face Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side on Sunday.

And ahead of the game, we take a look at the latest Chelsea news, below.

Transfer boost for Lampard

Michy Batshuayi has handed Frank Lampard and Chelsea a boost after opting to stay with the Blues .

The Belgian striker had been linked with a move away this summer, with Crystal Palace said to be interested in another loan spell, after he impressed in south London last season.

Michy Batshuayi during the defeat against Kawasaki Frontale (Hiroki Watanabe/Getty Images)

But Batshuayi, who has struggled to nail down a place in the first team for Chelsea having had loan spells at Borussia Dortmund, Valencia and Palace in the past 18 months, has deciced to stay and fight for his place in the side under Frank Lampard.

The 25-year-old has featured for the Blues in pre-season, but was not involved for Chelsea in their final pre-season friendly of the summer against Borussia Monchengladbach, leading to speculation over his future.

However, he will be at Chelsea for the season ahead, and will now hope to be involved against United on Sunday.

The fallout from David Luiz's Arsenal switch

It was one of the surprise moves on transfer deadline day as David Luiz completed a move across London, leaving the Blues to join rivals Arsenal.

The Brazilian signed a two-year deal with the Gunners after Arsenal agreed a fee in the region of £8million with Chelsea.

The move came about after Luiz failed to get guarantees from Frank Lampard about starting regularly this season, with Arsenal swooping to sign the veteran defender.

But his exit provides opportunities for others to take his place and benefit from the Blues selling the Brazilian.

Kurt Zouma and Andreas Christensen are set to benefit in the short team as the starting centre-back partnership for the Manchester United game.

Chelsea: 2019/20 season preview

Antonio Rudiger has just returned to training with the first team and is expected to be part of the starting XI when he is fully fit, but until then, the Blues are likely to turn to Zouma and Christensen as their preferred pairing.

However, there could also be an opportunity for Fikayo Timori, who worked with Lampard last season at Derby County.

Oliver Harbord has looked at where he fits in with Lampard's plans here

The 25-man squad

Like any Premier League club, Chelsea are required to submit their 25-man Premier League squad by 5pm on the day after the transfer deadline.

But Frank Lampard has some decisions to make when it comes to who makes the cut for the squad.

The Blues currently have 18 non-homegrown players in the squad, but are only allowed 17 for the 2019/20 campaign.

The Premier League rule reads: "The 25-man Premier League squad list must include no more than 17 'non-homegrown' players over the age of 21. 'Homegrown' players are defined as those who irrespective of nationality or age, have been registered with any club affiliated to the FA or Welsh FA for a period of three entire seasons or 36 months prior to their 21st birthday (or the end of the season during which they turn 21).

"Players classed as under 21 (born on or after 1 January 1998 in the case of the 2019-20 season) may supplement the squad."

Kenedy during the pre-season defeat against Kawasaki Frontale (Masashi Hara/Getty Images)

Michy Batshuayi, Kenedy and Tiemoue Bakayoko are perhaps the most likely contenders to be the player to miss out, having been out on loan last season.

Kenedy was linked with a deadline day move to Reading, which failed to materialise, but Lampard has not given anything away as to who might not be part of the Premier League side, with the Blues head coach speaking last week about the absence of Batshuayi from the squad to face Monchengladbach.

"Nobody is in or out of the squad. There's nobody who has had a line drawn under them or over them," he said.

"Everyone is competing and the squad will be picked in due time."

The time for such a decision has now arrived.

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