Cole Palmer has not been included in Chelsea's squad for the opening stages of the UEFA Conference League in a bid to manage the England star's minutes in a season that could run till mid-July.
Romeo Lavia and Wesley Fofana were also left out reportedly due to "load management" reasons with Chelsea set to participate in a new expanded Club World Cup in the United States, which runs from June 15 to July 13.
Palmer scored in England's Euro 2024 final defeat by Spain just 33 days before the beginning of the Premier League season. The 22-year-old has pulled out of the England squad for Nations League matches against the Republic of Ireland and Finland this week.
Global footballers' union FIFPro said on Thursday that football's governing bodies are "failing to meet their duty of care" towards players by denying them sufficient rest as many tournaments continue to expand.