Chelsea, having made substantial investments during the 2023 summer transfer window, now finds itself with just 15 players available for their upcoming fixture against Bournemouth in Round 5 of the Premier League.

This summer, Chelsea embarked on a spending spree, securing the services of Nicolas Jackson, Christopher Nkunku, Angelo Gabriel, Lesley Ugochukwu, Axel Disasi, Robert Sanchez, Moises Caicedo, Romeo Lavia, Deivid Washington, Dorde Petrovic, and Cole Palmer. As a result, they retained their status as the team that has spent the most money in the last three transfer windows.

However, in a press conference ahead of their away trip to Bournemouth, coach Pochettino revealed that Chelsea is grappling with 11 injuries, leaving them with only 14 to 15 available players. The Argentine coach even went so far as to suggest that abstaining from European competition could be beneficial for Chelsea in their current predicament.

“Given the current situation, I believe not participating in European competitions is a positive development for Chelsea,” he remarked. “I think the most important thing at the moment is for us to recover and become more competitive. While Chelsea has a rich history in European competition, it may not be feasible for us right now. That’s the reality. We will certainly strive to return next season.”

Chelsea’s injury list is currently extensive, featuring Reece James, Benoit Badiashile, Trevoh Chalobah, Marcus Bettinelli, Carney Chukwuemeka, Armando Broja, Lavia, Christopher Nkunku, Wesley Fofana, and Malang Sarr.

The latest addition to the injury list is Lavia, the 19-year-old Belgian midfielder who was signed by Chelsea from Southampton for a hefty $63 million. Pochettino revealed that Lavia sustained an ankle injury during training and is currently awaiting a medical evaluation. On a positive note, captain and defender Reece James, who sustained an injury in the opening match against Liverpool, is nearing a return. Meanwhile, Enzo Fernandez is still available for selection despite recently representing Argentina in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers held in Bolivia, an environment with altitudes exceeding 3,000 meters above sea level.

Chelsea currently sits in 12th place in the Premier League standings, having garnered four points from a 0-0 draw with Liverpool and a 3-0 victory over newly-promoted Luton Town. However, they suffered a 1-3 defeat to West Ham and a 0-1 loss to Nottingham Forest at Stamford Bridge.