Chelsea continue their pre-season with in the US tonight as they take on top-flight rivals Liverpool at the Rose Bowl in Los Angeles and face a couple of other European giants.
The squad are setting out to impressing new head coach Antonio Conte , with the potential reward of first-team football, after their disappointing finish last season.
Jurgen Klopp’s side present a chance for some of the forgotten stars of Stamford Bridge to test themselves against just a few of the players they hope to be facing next term.
Conte is working his players hard on in training but he will be even more keen to see them in action with matches against Real Madrid and AC Milan to follow in the States.
Speaking ahead of the tour opener with Liverpool, Conte said: “It is a good game for us, not the most important thing to win, because now it’s right to work very hard in a different aspect.
“Also for me it’s important because now we are working in a different day with respect to last season. It’s important to have the time to transfer your idea of football.
“When you have a bad season like last season for Chelsea I think the blame is a bit with all. For this reason it’s important to create a good spirit and stay together, both if we win or lose.”
We’ve taken a look at which players need to prove themselves across the pond in order for regular play at the Bridge next season.
Goalkeepers
Having had a successful youth career with the Blues before signing his first professional contract in 2012, 22-year-old Jamal Blackman has been loaned to Middlesbrough and Östersunds FK, where he made 12 appearances for the Swedish top-flight side.
Blackman became the first team’s third keeper after the departure of Mark Schwarzer in January 2015, but with the experienced Marco Amelia signed as cover when Thibaut Courtois was injured later that year, Jamal was allowed to leave for Sweden in March 2016.
Nathan Baxter will be out to show Conte he has the ability to start developing into a star keeper after signing his first professional contract in June. The 18-year-old won the UEFA Youth League 2015/16 and FA Youth Cup 2015/16 with Chelsea.
Defenders
Defenders Matt Miazga and Michael Hector are battling it out to become a backup option for the first team or go on loan next season.
Signing for Chelsea last year, Hector spent another season at Reading making 26 appearances and scoring once while American international Miazga has made two appearances for the Blues since signing last year from New York Bulls.
Baba Rahman was unsuccessful in his bid to secure a regular first-team place at Chelsea last season, after the attacking full-back signed from German side Augsburg last summer.
The Ghanaian international made a confident Chelsea debut in a 4-0 Champions League win over Maccabi Tel Aviv at Stamford Bridge and made 23 further appearances for the Blues.
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He’s hoping to impress Conte in America in a last-ditch attempt to show he has first-team quality.
Branislav Ivanović dislocated shoulder in their second pre-season match against RZ Pellets in Austria has left Ivanović sidelined for three weeks, meaning he may be out for the first Premier League game game of the season against West Ham.
The 32-year-old Serbian international signed a new one-year contract in January to extend his stay to the summer of 2017, but even with 248 appearances for the team, he get complacent and needs to prove to Conte he is a vital piece of the jigsaw.
Midfielders
With loan spells at West Ham, Stoke City and opponents Liverpool, Victor Moses wants to establish himself as a Blues regular under Conte’s reign.
He said: “I just want to enjoy my football. I want the fans to be able to recognise I am doing something good for the club but at the same time I want to work hard for the team and make sure we win games.”
Having 23 Chelsea appearances to his name, in the two pre-season games so far, Moses has adopted the winger position he enjoyed at Wigan, which he hopes to build on as their next campaign gets underway.
Having spent last season on loan to Juventus after signing for the Blues in 2015, winger Juan Cuadrado needs to show the new manager that he has something special to bring to Chelsea.
With four goals in 28 games for Juve, the Colombian international has been linked with AC Milan, but could stay at the Bridge if he puts on an impressive display in the States.
Nathaniel Chalobah has frequently been touted as one to watch for the future and is now trying to force his way into the side like Blues pal Ruben Loftus-Cheek.
Having been on loan to Watford, Nottingham Forest, Middlesbrough, Burnley and Reading since then, the defender spent last season at Napoli where he made nine appearances for the side, who finished second in Serie A.
He was also part of the winning England U21 squad in the Toulon Tournament this summer and voted the third best player on show.
The 21-year-old is looking to show Conte he can deliver first-team worthy performances to help him become a first-team regular for the Blues.
Strikers
Unless Chelsea are able to sign another big-name striker this summer, Loic Remy’s chances of remaining in the picture are looking increasingly good for next season.
The Frenchman has been plagued with injury problems since joining from QPR and managed just 12 goals in 50 Blues appearances in two years.
Radamel Falcao and Alexandre Pato have gone, narrowing the competition for a starting berth, and Remy has found the net during pre-season.
He netted a hat-trick in an 8-0 behind-closed doors thrashing in Austria and does not want to leave Stamford Bridge.
