Enzo Maresca has confirmed that a boyish Chelsea team will begin their 7,000-mile tour for their final Conference League match against Astana in the sub-zero temperatures of Kazakhstan.
As reported by Mail Sport on Monday, a total of 11 Cobham graduates have now been included in the club's UEFA squad.
Josh Acheampong is among those set for his first senior start after positive progress was made in his contract standoff, with the 18-year-old previously frozen out.
Having won all four of their Conference League games, Maresca will be looking to use this fifth outing to showcase some of their youth academy talent, including Harrison Murray-Campbell, Kaiden Wilson, Ato Ampah and Richard Olise – the brother of Bayern Munich star Michael Olise. those who could debut.
Kiano Dyer and Shim Mheuka would also be debutants, although they could remain in England to feature in Chelsea Under 18s' FA Youth Cup match against Leicester.
Temperatures are forecast to be 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.
'We are close, we are almost there. He is in the squad and will probably play from the start.' As to whether there will be debutants, Maresca added: “Probably so.”
Noni Madueke is among a number of senior stars who will be 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 games due to illness.
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