Before we all get carried away with what we think the club should do in the transfer market we should remember the regulations.

We can only pick from a set squad of 25 for the Premier League, 8 of which must be home grown (i.e. been a footballer in England or Wales for at least 3 years before they turn 21). On top of that we can pick as many under 21 players as we like (i.e. players under the age of 21 on 1st January in the year in which the season commences).

Last year we started with:

Non-HGPs (max 17): Benteke, Cabaye, Delaney, Lee, McArthur, Milivojevic, Sakho, Sako, Souare, Speroni (10 total).

HGPs (min 8): Hennessey, Ladapo, Mutch, Puncheon, Schlupp, Tomkins, Townsend, Dann, Kelly, Van Aanholt, Ward, Wickham, Zaha (13 total).

U21s (CPFC had 46 named players, including): Boateng, Dreher, Fosu-Mensah, Kirby, Loftus Cheek, Lumeka, O'Dwyer, Riedwald, Wan-Bissaka, KaiKai

As far as I can tell, this years squad currently looks like:

Non-HGPs (max 17): Benteke, McArthur, Milivojevic, Sakho, Sako, Souare, Speroni, Guaita, Jach, Riedwald, Sorloth (11 total).

HGPs (min 8): Hennessey, Inniss, Puncheon, Schlupp, Tomkins, Townsend, Dann, Kelly, Van Aanholt, Ward, Wickham, Zaha, Williams, KaiKai (14 total).

U21s (includes): Boateng, Dreher, Kirby, Lumeka, O'Dwyer, Wan-Bissaka

We already have 25 players over the age of 21, so for each new player over 21 that we sign or borrow we have to exclude one of the current 25 from the squad (i.e. sell them, loan them out, or pay them just to train).

Sako, Kelly and Inniss have not yet signed new contracts, and could leave. Williams probably won’t be in the 25 during his last contract year with us. Kaikai isn’t u21 anymore, so CPFC either have to back him or cut him loose, and he may have to go if only so he doesn’t take up a space in the 25.

So we could have up to 5 spaces for new over-21s to come in.

However, if those 5 players leave we’ve only got 10 HGPs. That’s fine, but it would mean that selling Townsend and PVA (for instance) to raise funds becomes very complicated, as we are then down to the bare minimum of 8, and may be charged a premium for HGPs we might want to sign from other clubs, or end up keeping one we don’t really want (Puncheon perhaps) or even borrowing one we don’t need just to ensure we have 8 of them.

Our two main loanees last year, Fosu-Mensah and Loftus-Cheek, were u21s and so didn’t take up a space in the 25, whereas Sakho did the year before. Clearly there is a logic to borrowing youngsters if they are good enough to play. RLC is still an u21 I think (just), but that only makes him an even more valuable commodity to Chelsea, as they can play him this year without him taking up a place in their 25, and if he does well he will help them fill their 8 HGP quota next year, something they often struggle with. Suddenly him being loaned out again seems less likely.

All this before you even consider the money side of things and Financial Fair Play etc. Worth remembering all this when debating the clubs best approach.

Edited by TheBigToePunt (12 Jul 2018 2.42pm)

Sako is out of contract and to all extents and purposes has left. Jach is in the team for tonight's friendly so has this chance to prove that he's worth a place otherwise he won't make the squad.

Inniss, Williams and KaiKai are probably also unlikely to be wanted in the squad and will either be sold or go out on loan so I have already freed up five spaces for you

Good post, It all makes sense now!
Although, RLC Is 22 now - Bday in january, so he may not be eligible for the u21s... does that help us?!

"It was a Team effort, I guess it took all players working together to lose this one"

So explain how spammers r about tpendd 93 million total and Fulham spend 31 million and worry we cannot or should not. Your argument does not add up and is not viable. Until points are deducted or clubs demoted if persistent offenders teams like bournemouth and spammers will break rules and we dont too scared in case....

West Ham sold Upton Park for £40m so no doubt that helps

... we go bankrupt again. Too many fans just want to piss away millions in the hope of buying a top 10 finish.

We are a small fish in a big pond and can't keep up with some of the richer clubs - WHU and Everton included.

That's worked well for Leeds, Blackburn, QPR and a host of others.