Chelsea face Olympics exodus to rock summer plans amid Arsenal concern

Chelsea has a problem coming up before next season starts. A lot of their players might be picked to play in the Olympics.

The men’s football part of the Paris Olympics is from July 24 to August 10. That’s just before the new Premier League season starts. It’s for players under 23 years old. Each country can choose three older players. Chelsea might have a tough time because they have many young players.

Malo Gusto might be picked for France. Their team will be managed by Thierry Henry. Benoit Badiashile, Lesley Ugochukwu, and Wesley Fofana could also play for France. Enzo Fernandez and Mykhailo Mudryk could play for Argentina and Ukraine.

Gusto has been one of Chelsea’s best players this season. Losing him, Fernandez, or Mudryk would be a big problem for Chelsea.

Clubs can say no to letting their players go to the Olympics. But if players really want to play, it puts the clubs in a tough spot.

France wants Kylian Mbappe to play. Playing with him for a gold medal at home would be exciting for French players.

Argentina wants Lionel Messi to play too. This would make Paris even more appealing for Fernandez.

Chelsea is going to the US for a tour before the season starts. But the Olympics happen at the same time.

Losing players right before the season isn’t good. There’s also a risk of injuries and players needing time off after the Olympics.

Arsenal’s William Saliba might also play for France. He didn’t go to the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 so he wouldn’t miss Arsenal’s preseason.

Saliba might play in Euro 2024. It’s unlikely he’d play in both the Euros and the Olympics.

Mbappe really wants to play in the Olympics. The French Football Federation wants a strong team.

If Mbappe plays, he might convince Saliba and other good young French players to join.

Other players like Oleksandr Zinchenko, Bryan Gil, Alejo Veliz, and Mohamed Salah could also play for their countries in the Olympics.