Cole Palmer was left out of Chelsea's Europa Conference League squad because he "needs to be protected", Blues head coach Enzo Maresca has confirmed.

The England international was the most notable exclusion from Maresca's 23-man party, with Wesley Fofana and Romeo Lavia were other players not included.

Palmer, who had more direct goal involvements (33) than any other player in the Premier League last season, has built on that momentum this term.

The 22-year-old became the first player in Premier League history to score four goals before half-time in a single game, with his quadruple during Saturday's 4-2 victory over Brighton.

And Maresca explained the reasoning behind Palmer's absence, ahead of Chelsea's Conference League opener against Gent at Stamford Bridge on Thursday.

"We played some games without Cole, but sure and for us, Cole is something extra that you need," he told reporters at his pre-match press conference.

"We also need to think a bit to protect some players. They need that. There is a reason behind it, and I think Cole needs to be protected."

Chelsea will be able to amend their squad when the league phase of the Conference League ends in January, meaning Palmer could be included for the knockout stages, should they make it that far.

The Blues will also face Panathinaikos, Noah, Heidenheim, Astana and Shamrock Rovers during the initial stage of the competition.

Chelsea’s wage bill rose to more than £400million last season – the second highest in the Premier League, according to accounts published by Companies House.

The Blues finished 12th in the Premier League last term but their salary costs have risen by 18 per cent to £404m, with only treble-winning Manchester City paying out more (£422.9m).

In the first full season under the new ownership of Todd Boehly’s Clearlake Capital consortium, Chelsea paid £747m on transfers up to June 30, 2023. Since then, they have spent another £454m on transfers.

Players who had initially cost the club £592m were sold for £203m although accounting regulations allow the West London outfit a profit of around £63m.

Chelsea announced pre-tax losses of £90.1million in March, an improvement on the previous years’ loss of £121.4m, but Premier League rules state a club can have made a loss no greater than £105m over a three-year period.

While certain costs can be deducted, it means there are likely to be further player sales required in the coming months in order to remain within regulations, particularly with qualification for Europe via their league position looking unlikely this campaign.

The sale of Mason Mount to Manchester United in July last year for £55m, with a possible £5m in add-ons, will be in the 2023/24 accounts although so too will the signing of Moises Caicedo from Brighton for a fee that could rise to up to £115m.

On Friday, it was announced Chelsea spent £75.1m on agents’ and intermediaries’ fees in the 12 months up to February 1, having brought in players like Caicedo, Christopher Nkunku, Romeo Lavia, Nicolas Jackson and Cole Palmer over the period covered – which was almost £32m more than previously spent.

Despite the outlay Mauricio Pochettino’s expensively-assembled squad have endured an inconsistent Premier League campaign – and were branded “blue billion-pound bottle jobs” by Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville late on during their 1-0 extra-time defeat against Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final.

A £76.5m property deal with BlueCo, a subsidiary of the club’s holding company, helped to reduce Chelsea’s losses, while their turnover increased to £512m, up from £481m over the previous year.

Chelsea spent more than £75million on agents’ and intermediaries’ fees this season, according to figures released by the Football Association.

The data, which covered the 12 months to February 1 and therefore this season’s two transfer windows, showed the total spend by top-flight clubs was £409.59m – an increase from £318.2m for the 2022-23 campaign.

The Blues head the list paying £75,140,524 – having brought in players like Moises Caicedo, Christopher Nkunku, Romeo Lavia, Nicolas Jackson and Cole Palmer over the period covered – which was almost £32m more than previously spent.

Despite the outlay Mauricio Pochettino’s expensively-assembled squad have endured an inconsistent Premier League campaign – and were branded “blue billion-pound bottle jobs” by Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville late on during their 1-0 extra-time defeat against Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final.

Elsewhere Manchester City – the biggest spenders in the previous list – ranked second on £60.63m.

Rivals Manchester United spent £34.05m, while Liverpool paid £31.50m in fees and Arsenal a total of £24.76m.

At the other end of the spending list, Luton – promoted to the Premier League via the play-offs in May last year – paid the least at £2.02m.

Chelsea’s total exceeded the overall spending on agents’ fees in the Sky Bet Championship of £61.34m – with Leeds top of the list at £13.28m as they push for a swift promotion.

What the papers say

Jude Bellingham could face a fight for his Real Madrid shirt in the future – from his own brother. According to the Daily Mirror, via Spanish outlet El Nacional, scouts from the Bernabeu were sent to watch Sunderland midfielder Jobe Bellingham, 18, play for England Under-19s in Montenegro.

Chelsea fans are facing a further wait before catching a first glimpse of midfielder Romeo Lavia in action for the Blues. The Daily Mail reports the 19-year-old Belgian, signed from Southampton in the summer, will be out until the end of November after injuring an ankle in training.

And Chelsea face losing another young talent with Barcelona tracking Dutch defender Ian Maatsen. The left-back, 21, turned down a summer move to Burnley but having made just one Premier League start this season, Barcelona are watching the situation with his contract ending in the summer, according to The Sun via Catalan outlet Sport.

Manchester City are close to tying up academy graduate Oscar Bobb to a long-term deal, according to the Daily Mirror. The winger, 20, is highly rated by boss Pep Guardiola and is already a senior Norway international.

Social media round-up Players to watch.

Marc Guehi: Manchester United are looking at a possible move for Crystal Palace’s England defender, 23.

Wesley Gassova: Everton are one of several teams being linked with the Brazilian winger, 18, from Corinthian.

Chelsea have completed the signing of midfielder Romeo Lavia from Southampton for a reported £53million, possibly rising to £58m, taking their total number of first-team acquisitions this summer to eight.

The 19-year-old, who has played just 29 times in the Premier League, has signed a seven-year deal having made clear earlier this week his desire to move to Stamford Bridge over Liverpool, who also had a bid accepted.

Chelsea have now spent more than £350m during this transfer window once performance-related add-ons are taken into account, though that has been significantly offset by fees received for player sales.

Lavia told the club’s website: “I can’t wait to meet all my new team-mates and build a chemistry together to achieve great things together.”

Lavia, who made his Belgium debut in a friendly win against Germany in March, will likely compete with Enzo Fernandez and fellow new-signing Moises Caicedo – the two most expensive players in English transfer history – for a starting place in Mauricio Pochettino’s midfield.

Chelsea broke that record for the second time in eight months on Monday with the capture of Caicedo from Brighton for an initial £100m, possibly rising to £115, eclipsing the £106m they paid Benfica for Fernandez in January.

Co-sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley said: “We are very pleased to welcome Romeo to Chelsea.

“He demonstrated his quality in the Premier League last season at Southampton, showing maturity despite his young age, and is a player we have monitored for some time.”

The PA news agency understands that a deal is yet to be agreed with Newcastle for defender Lewis Hall, though a move for the 18-year-old is close.

Hall signed a new six-year contract with the club just days ago and was set to spent the season on loan at Crystal Palace but Newcastle’s offer, believed to be £28m, has persuaded the club to reconsider.

As an academy product, any sale would be recorded as pure profit in Chelsea’s books as they look to remain within Financial Fair Play rules following a total transfer outlay over the last year in excess of £900m.

A deal had also been agreed with Palace for the transfer of winger Michael Olise after the club met his £35m release clause, but the France Under-21 international has opted to remain at Selhurst Park and signed a new four-year contact on Thursday.

Midfielder Romeo Lavia will undergo a medical on Wednesday ahead of his move to Chelsea, while Hakim Ziyech is close to exiting Stamford Bridge.

The Blues agreed an initial £53million fee to sign Lavia from Southampton on Tuesday, which could rise to £58m in add-ons, the PA news agency understands.

Lavia is now in London to go through his medical tests but Ziyech will be the latest player to go through the exit door at Chelsea after an agreement in principle was reached with Galatasaray for his transfer.

It has been a whirlwind few days for Mauricio Pochettino’s team, with the British record capture of Moises Caicedo from Brighton completed on Monday.

Caicedo’s transfer could eventually total £115m and a day later the Blues closed in on the signings of Lavia and Crystal Palace winger Michael Olise.

After Lavia made it known to Southampton on Monday that he favoured a move to west London, Chelsea and the recently-relegated Saints reached an agreement for his transfer on Tuesday night.

Lavia will sign for an initial £53m with Southampton able to receive a further £5m in add-ons.

The spending under owner Todd Boehly shows no sign of slowing down though, with Olise’s £35m release clause activated on Tuesday, PA understands.

It allows Chelsea to now negotiate personal terms with the highly-rated Crystal Palace winger.

Olise is currently out injured with a hamstring issue and his current club Palace are reported to be unhappy with Chelsea’s conduct during their pursuit of the France Under-21 international.

PA understands Chelsea are comfortable they have done nothing untoward and Olise is expected to finalise his move this week.

Ziyech should leave after Chelsea and Galatasaray reached an agreement for his transfer on Wednesday, but the Morocco forward still has a medical to complete after moves to Paris St Germain and Al Nassr collapsed earlier this year.

Chelsea have agreed a fee of £53.5million to sign Romeo Lavia from Southampton, the PA news agency understands.

The midfielder made it known to his club on Monday that he favoured a move to Stamford Bridge over Liverpool, who had had a similar bid accepted, with a deal having been reached on Tuesday night for him to join the west London club.

Lavia will now undergo a medical in advance of becoming the eighth first-team signing the club have made this summer.

He made 29 Premier League appearances last season in what was his debut top-flight campaign, after joining Saints from Manchester City last summer.

PA also understands that the club have agreed to pay Crystal Palace winger Michael Olise’s £35m release clause, paving the way for the France Under-21 international to join Lavia at Stamford Bridge.

It takes Chelsea’s spending this week to over £200m following the British record capture of Brighton’s Moises Caicedo for a potential £115m on Monday.

Southampton boss Russell Martin says James Ward-Prowse and Romeo Lavia will be involved in Friday night’s Sky Bet Championship opener at Sheffield Wednesday “as it stands”.

Both players have been linked with an exit from St Mary’s this summer following last season’s relegation from the Premier League, with Ward-Prowse linked with Fulham and West Ham and Lavia attracting bids from Liverpool.

But a transfer for either men have yet to materialise and Martin will utilise them at Hillsborough.

“Both will be involved tomorrow night, as it stands, I dont know what will change between now and then,” he said in his pre-match press conference.

“Do I think they will be Southampton players at the end of the window? I have not got a clue. What I hope, what I think, is probably very different.

“It would be pointless for me to come out and say, ‘I think they will be here, I don’t think they’ll be here’, because ultimately I have no control over that.

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“If they are both not here, or one is not here it is because the club and the player think they have something which is beneficial for everyone.

“That will be the case, that is why it has dragged on and why it will probably continue to drag on. But while they have been here, both have been great and both will be involved tomorrow night. As it stands.”

Kamaldeen Sulemana is injured and will miss the trip to South Yorkshire, while Sekou Mara is a doubt.