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Three Chelsea players have not been given squad numbers ahead of the start of the new season, as per The Express. Billy Gilmour, Kenedy and Ethan Ampadu have reportedly been left in the wilderness by manager Thomas Tuchel.
All three players were given game time in the pre-season but perhaps failed to impress the German boss and are now without squad numbers going into August. That possibly points to their shaky future at the club as the Blues might now look to either sell or loan them before the transfer window shuts on August 31.
Chelsea's transfer business so far
Chelsea have had an underwhelming summer transfer window so far. Not only have they failed to land their preferred targets, but the club has also been unsuccessful in offloading fringe players.
The likes of Michy Batshuayi and Ross Barkley continue to be involved with the first team despite being unlikely to have a future at Stamford Bridge. In terms of bringing in new faces, Tuchel and new owner Todd Boehly have only been able to land two - winger Raheem Sterling from Manchester City and centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly from Napoli.
What's next for Gilmour, Ampadu and Kenedy?
Gilmour spent the entirety of last season on loan at Norwich City, where he struggled to make an impact. Despite making 28 appearances for the Canaries, he failed to guarantee a first-team spot.
The young midfielder, who made a promising start to life at Chelsea under previous manager Frank Lampard, now appears resigned to his fate at the club. To further his career, he should seek a permanent transfer - perhaps to a club where he would be given more support and time to blossom into a better player.
Kenedy, meanwhile, was sent on a season-long loan to Flamengo last summer but was called back in January to fill in for the injured Ben Chilwell at left-wing back. He was unimpressive once again, so the Blues would do well to get him off their books on a permanent basis.
As for Ethan Ampadu, he's yet another Chelsea product who has failed to make his mark at the Bridge. He spent last season out on loan at Venezia, where he made 30 appearances. That came on the back of a season-long loan spell at Sheffield United in the 2020-21 season, where he made 29 appearances.
Despite such extended playing time, Tuchel appears to have deemed Ampadu unworthy of a place in the Chelsea squad. It remains to be seen what happens to the young versatile defender, who has two more years left in his contract.
