CHELSEA have formally asked to have the maximum number of substitutes on the bench increased from seven to nine for the rest of this season.
The proposal, submitted to the Premier League, will be on the agenda for clubs due to attend a shareholders’ meeting on Thursday.
Frank Lampard’s Chelsea colleagues have formally asked the Premier League to give them permission to increase substitute numbers from seven to nineCredit: Getty
The restart of the season on June 17 could be a tense period for the London side who are battling to retain their fourth-place spot in the Premier League.
Injuries and suspensions are reported to have disrupted Frank Lampard’s training preparations.
And the club is facing a dilemma in regard to whether key midfield players will be fit and ready to start.
N’Golo Kante, who previously stayed away from the club’s Cobham training base because of coronavirus fears, has only recently returned.
The France international resumed training on a solo basis last week.
He is yet to start working with his team-mates and could still potentially miss the rest of the season.
The club is also contending with Callum Hudson-Odoi’s arrest last month and a suspension for vice-captain Jorginho, who’ll miss the Blues match against Aston Villa on June 20.
The Daily Mail claim Chelsea are concerned about a higher chance of player injuries following the long break.
NGolo Kante, left, only returned to training last week and could potentially miss the rest of this seasonCredit: Getty Images – Getty
A vote on the plans suggested by the Blues is expected to take place next week on June 11.
If it’s agreed by the League’s other clubs, the concept might not necessarily result in an increase in the number of subs who can play in a game.
However, it’s believed this is being mulled over after international body IFAB changed the game’s laws to temporarily allow five changes.
N’Golo Kante swaps Mini for Mercedes as he arrives at Chelsea training in stunning new car
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
