£58m Chelsea player not seen in training as Enzo Maresca handed serious Club World Cup headache

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Enzo Maresca will already have a good idea of his Chelsea side that will face Palmeiras in their next Club World Cup game, however one key star may not be available for selection.

The manager has looked to rotate where he can during the competition in the United States, with nearly all of those who travelled off the back of gruelling domestic seasons.

This has opened up the chance for Maresca to get a look at a number of players Chelsea fans haven’t seen before in a competitive setting.

Andrey Santos made his first appearance for the Blues off the bench, while there have been opportunities to hand debuts to Dario Essugo and Mamadou Sarr.

Romeo Lavia not seen in training ahead of Club World Cup quarter-final tie

Amid the rotation, the seemingly starting midfield for the Blues has included Romeo Lavia, who had been looking to slowly be putting his injury nightmare behind him after a tough start to life since his £58m move.

Scott Minto believes Lavia is irreplaceable, although Maresca may need to find suitable cover for him for the quarter-final.

The Belgian was not spotted in a training session just two days before they take on the Brazilian side.

The session was notable for it being the first time Joao Pedro took part alongside his new teammates. He is in contention for his first appearance this weekend.

Enzo Maresca handed serious midfield headache

If Lavia is unavailable for the next game, Maresca is going to face a real challenge when it comes to picking his midfield.

Moises Caicedo is already suspended after picking up two yellow cards in the competition, and this could mean at least two changes will have to be made from the Round of 16 win over Benfica.

There is a chance for Santos to be handed his first start for the club ahead of what looks to be a big season for him, while Essugo has the chance to replace Caicedo as the ball-winner in midfield.

However, the manager could look to play it safe and hand a start to Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, who found the net off the bench last time out.