Chelsea facing awkward selection headache as only 2 January signings can be included in UEFA Champions League squad

Chelsea are currently experiencing an awkward selection headache ahead of next month's UEFA Champions League knockout stages after their free-spending policy over the course of the winter window.

Since Clearlake Capital's takeover last May, the west London side have been on a spending spree unlike any other. The club added nine new players to their squad last summer for a combined sum of £260 million.

The Blues also dished out over £300 million to make eight new signings in January. The club snapped up the likes of Enzo Fernandez, Benoit Badiashile, Mykhailo Mudryk, Noni Madueke and Malo Gusto, while also acquiring Joao Felix's services on a short-term loan deal.

As per the Evening Standard, Chelsea can include just two of their latest arrivals in their 2022-23 UEFA Champions League squad after Jorginho's switch to Arsenal last month.

Manager Graham Potter is expected to pick amongst Fernandez, Mudryk, Felix and Badiashile. Madueke, David Datro Fofana, and Andrey Santos will reportedly be forced to miss out.

The Stamford Bridge side must have eight 'association trained players', including four homegrown stars, in their squad. It is believed that Marcus Bettinelli or Carney Chukwuemeka could be dropped from the squad ahead of the final submission deadline on Thursday (2 February).

On the other hand, Blues players like Armando Broja can't be removed from their Champions League squad due to his appearance on List B.

The five-time Premier League champions are speculated to sell the likes of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Hakim Ziyech, Christian Pulisic, Conor Gallagher and Kalidou Koulibaly in the upcoming summer.

Chelsea are set to face Borussia Dortmund in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 clash at Signal Iduna Park on Wednesday (15 February).

Danny Murphy slams Chelsea for reckless transfer activity in recent winter window

Speaking to talkSPORT, ex-Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy laid into the Blues for their exorbitant spending spree in January. He said:

"They're overpaying for most of the players. I don't think a majority of Chelsea's first XI gets near Manchester City's team. I've watched [Enzo Fernandez]... I did three of their games, he's decent but he's not £100 million and they got absolutely bent over there."

Murphy, who featured in 417 Premier League games, continued:

"He's a good midfielder, he's tenacious, he's young, he's brave but he's not Rodri and he's not Casemiro either. They're overspending on players, people are seeing them come and they're just taking their pants down in the transfer market basically."