CHELSEA SET CONFERENCE LEAGUE RECORD 8-0 ROUT OF FC NOAH

Chelsea set a UEFA Conference League record with an emphatic 8-0 win over Armenian side FC Noah at Stamford Bridge on Thursday. 

João Félix and Christopher Nkunku each scored twice for the Premier League club, who were six goals to the good by half-time. Tosin Adarabioyo, Marc Guiu, Axel Disasi and Mykhailo Mudryk scored the other goals as Chelsea recorded the biggest win in the competition's history.

The previous largest margin of victory in the Conference League, which began in 2021, was six goals.

The result also equals the second-biggest win in Chelsea's history. The club's largest victory remains a 13-0 triumph over Luxembourgian side Jeunesse Hautcharage in 1971.

Chelsea sit top of the Conference League standings during the league phase with a maximum nine points from three games.

Axel Disasi, right, and Christopher Nkunku were among the goal scorers in Chelsea's 8-0 rout of FC Noah. Crystal Pix/MB Media/Getty Images

"The players once again showed how professional and serious they are," Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca told reporters.

"It's easy to sleep or fall down in this type of game. Football is full of surprises. What I asked them before the game was to show how serious we are, how professional, and they showed that."

The home crowd had to wait only until the 12th minute for the opening goal, when Adarabioyo headed in a corner kick before the second came a minute later with Guiu intercepting a poor defensive pass before slotting home.

Another headed goal from a corner came through Disasi after 18 minutes, and in the 21st Félix gathered a pass from Enzo Fernández and slipped his shot under the keeper.

Mudryk curled a beautiful shot into the top corner six minutes before the break to make it five, and Félix netted his second two minutes later.

After six goals in the opening half, Chelsea took their foot off the gas, but Frenchman Nkunku did manage a brace, knocking in a rebound after his initial shot was saved in the 69th minute and then converting a penalty seven minutes later.

Information from Reuters contributed to this report.

- ESPN News Services

CHELSEA MAKE JOÂO FÉLIX LATEST SIGNING FOR CHELSEA OF TRANSFER WINDOW

João Félix has rejoined Chelsea from Atlético Madrid on a permanent transfer. Yu Chun Christopher Wong/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images

Chelsea have signed João Félix on a permanent transfer from Atlético Madrid, the London club announced on Wednesday.

The forward has put pen to paper on a seven-year contract.

Sources have told ESPN that the clubs agreed a deal worth in the region of €50 million ($55.4m), including add-ons. Atlético will retain a 20% share of any future fee that the player generates in a transfer away from Chelsea.

It marks a return to west London for Félix, who spent six months on loan last season at Stamford Bridge, scoring four goals in 20 appearances.

"I'm really happy to be back at Chelsea and I can't wait to get started," Félix said. "I can see some familiar faces from the last time I was here, which is always nice.

"I loved my time here before and I told my friends and family that I'd love to return to the Premier League one day. To do that with Chelsea is a great feeling and I'm excited to be back."

Félix played last season on loan at Barcelona from Atlético and scored 10 goals in 44 appearances.

He had hoped to continue at Barça beyond this summer but returned to Atlético after playing for Portugal at Euro 2024.

The 24-year-old is Chelsea's 11th summer signing after Pedro Neto, Tosin Adarabioyo, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Filip Jörgensen, Omari Kellyman, Aaron Anselmino, Caleb Wiley, Renato Veiga and Marc Guiu, with Estêvão Willian having agreed to join the club in 2025.

Félix, who began his career at Benfica, moved to Atlético in the summer of 2019 for a club-record €126m. He did not live up to expectations and struggled to adapt to head coach Diego Simeone's tactics. He scored scored 34 goals in 131 games for Atlético.

- Adriana Garcia

CHELSEA AIMING TO SIGN MORE PLAYERS - ENZO MARESCA

Enzo Maresca is set to embark on his first season as a head coach in the Premier League. Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images

Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has said the club are targeting further incomings before the end of the transfer window despite completing their 10th summer signing earlier this week.

Pedro Neto joined Chelsea in a £54 million ($69.6m) deal from Wolves on Monday, following Tosin Adarabioyo, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Filip Jörgensen, Omari Kellyman, Aaron Anselmino, Caleb Wiley, Renato Veiga and Marc Guiu into west London while Estêvão Willian will join the club in 2025.

That activity has left Chelsea with a bloated squad of 43 players as they look to move on several unwanted members including Conor Gallagher, whose proposed £34 million move to Atlético Madrid is on hold while the LaLiga club raise funds to complete the deal.

Chelsea are in talks with Atlético over the possible acquisition of João Félix while Napoli are open to incorporating Victor Osimhen in a player-plus cash swap deal for Romelu Lukaku.

Asked about the links to Félix and Osimhen, Maresca said on Friday: "The only thing I can say is I always have to say the same. They are not our players so it is not correct, I think, to talk about a Napoli player or -- who is the other one? -- an Atlético Madrid player.

"In this moment, the club knows exactly what I think in terms of what we need in case we do something and hopefully before we finish the transfer window, we can bring in some players."

Gallagher and Trevor Chalobah are among a number of players training away from the first-team squad ahead of Chelsea's season-opener against champions Manchester City on Sunday.

Gallagher will not be available against City, while Ben Chilwell, Armando Broja and Raheem Sterling are among the players who could depart before the window closes.

"We have been 20 days in America with 28, 29 players so it has been quite good in terms of managing the squad," Maresca said. "Now we have the guys who are not involved in our squad, they are training apart. At the moment, it is not difficult, also because if I start to think I have 43 players, probably it is not a good thing.

"I just finished the session now and I am already thinking about tomorrow's session. It is the only thing I like to do, I like to control, If you start thinking about 43 players, 'manager [has] no time,' I think it is not worth it.

"The [sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart] are there trying to find solutions for these kinds of players. I am not the guy in charge of finding solution for these players otherwise they have to pay me double."

Maresca left Leicester City after winning the Championship title last season to succeed Mauricio Pochettino at Stamford Bridge and revealed that he has recently spoken with two fellow Italians in Claudio Ranieri and Carlo Ancelotti, both of whom managed Chelsea previously.

"I spoke with Claudio Ranieri and the reason why was also because I spoke with him before I started the season with Leicester and we won," Maresca said.

"So when I signed to Chelsea I called him immediately just to see if it would be the same! Then I spoke with Carlo Ancelotti when we played against Madrid [in preseason] for a while. Both of them were talking about the club [as] fantastic, about their experience here, fantastic."

- James Olley, Senior Writer, ESPN FC

CHELSEA SIGN TOSIN ADARABIOYO ON FREE TRANSFER F

 Chelsea have signed centre-back Tosin Adarabioyo from fellow west London club Fulham on a free transfer, the Premier League side announced on Friday.

The 26-year-old, who arrives at Stamford Bridge on a four-year contract beginning on July 1, has made one appearance for England under-19s and has played 78 times in the Premier League.

He is the first player to join Chelsea since they announced the arrival of new head coach Enzo Maresca earlier this week, and will bolster their options at centre-back following the departure of veteran Thiago Silva.

"We are delighted to bring Tosin to Chelsea," Chelsea co-sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley said in a statement.

"Throughout his career, he has showcased his maturity and defensive qualities and has gained a wealth of experience in the Premier League in recent seasons.

"He is ready to make the step up to Chelsea and work alongside the talented players in our squad. We look forward to Tosin joining up with us for pre-season."

Chelsea are looking to revive their fortunes under Maresca after finishing sixth in the table last season.

"I'm looking forward to starting work with Enzo and I'm sure the boys are too," Adarabioyo said.

"It's going to be exciting. We're going to play good football and win a lot of games. There are top players in this squad and I'm eager to play with them all."

- Reuters