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Chelsea had a large delegation in the Manchester United directors’ box on Saturday evening. There was Behdad Eghbali, Paul Winstanley, Laurence Stewart, Joe Shields, Sam Jewell, Daniel Finkelstein, et cetera. The usuals.
But Confidential can reveal that also among their travelling party in Manchester was David Weir, less than two weeks after the 55-year-old’s surprise departure from Brighton as technical director.
Given how many of the Blues’ hirings have previously worked within the Seagulls’ setup, it might be tempting to put two and two together. However, it appears all is not what it seems.
Confidential has been told Weir was simply a guest of Chelsea’s for the game, having previously worked at Brighton with Winstanley, with whom he is friends. The former Everton and Rangers centre back also lives relatively close to Old Trafford.
Former Everton, Rangers and Scotland centre back David Weir was spied with the Chelsea directors at Old Trafford on Saturday, shortly after his surprise departure from Brighton
Instant return for Sanchez
Chelsea lost that trip to Old Trafford 2-1 with Robert Sanchez dismissed after four minutes, but we expect that he will return straight away for the Premier League visit of Brighton on Saturday after serving his suspension at Lincoln on Tuesday.
Despite the error which made Chelsea's task all the harder at a place where they have not won since 2013, Sanchez's 23-year-old understudy Filip Jorgensen has shown he is not ready to replace the Spaniard, 27, as No 1.
And sticking with goalkeepers, Chelsea are pleased with the progress being made by Mike Penders, the 20-year-old on loan at their sister club Strasbourg.
Eghbali was present for Strasbourg's 3-2 win over Paris FC on Sunday and was believed to have been joined on his journey by Jewell, the Blues’ director of global recruitment.
A moment of madness from Robert Sanchez (left) cost Chelsea dear in defeat by Manchester United, reducing them to 10 men inside four minutes
Lincoln away on a Tuesday? Yes please!
Speaking of Eghbali, kudos to the Chelsea co-owner for attending their Carabao Cup third-round clash in Lincoln.
Many owners might have been tempted to sack off that trip, but he was there, sat close to the press box where we watched the second-half comeback unfold.
Meanwhile, Wesley Fofana was the Chelsea player who took more time than anyone else to endear himself to the local kids who had turned up in support of Lincoln.
Fofana gave away various items of his kit to the waiting fans, signed dozens of autographs, and took selfies with them, after completing his first full 90 minutes since November 23, 2024, away at Leicester.
Lincoln targeted Chelsea with balls into the box and the visitors struggled with that tactic. With Brighton coming next at Stamford Bridge, the good news for Enzo Maresca is only Manchester City have produced fewer crosses than the Seagulls this season.
Wesley Fofana celebrated his first full 90 in 10 months by giving away the vast majority of his kit to adoring fans at Lincoln City on Tuesday
Will Chelsea spend in January?
It is understood Chelsea made sure to leave cash in their reserves this summer so they can spend in January if they decide an area of the team needs bolstering.
Such a call will be taken closer to the time, but I would not be surprised if we hear familiar names cropping up again, as Chelsea have shown they are good at putting in the legwork in one window before making their move in the next.
That happened with Jamie Gittens and Alejandro Garnacho as they declared their interest in the duo in January, then signed them in the summer.
Chelsea have set aside money for January, and could well pick up on previous targets, as they did with Alejandro Garnacho (centre) this summer
Revealed: Chelsea fined £25,000 by the FA
Chelsea have been slapped with a £25,000 fine by the FA for how they behaved in their 2-1 loss at Old Trafford.
Referee Peter Bankes showed six yellow cards to the Blues in total, including one to Maresca and a straight red to Sanchez.
It follows on from last season, when Chelsea received a series of fines for repeatedly surpassing the FA’s six-card threshold. They were fined £25,000 after receiving eight yellows against Bournemouth on September 14; £50,000 after six against Nottingham Forest on October 6; then £75,000 after another six against Newcastle on October 27.
Chelsea have topped the yellow card charts in the Premier League for each of the last two seasons, and have 12 in five games this campaign - two behind 'leaders' Bournemouth.
Enzo Fernandez was one of six Chelsea bookings against United, earning them a £25,000 fine
No Buonanotte, but what about Palmer?
Facundo Buonanotte was brought in on loan from Brighton on deadline day as Chelsea knew of his promise via their Seagulls links, saw him as good for their overall balance and someone satisfied with playing a squad role at this stage of his career.
Buonanotte, 20, will not be able to play his parent club this Saturday and there is no news yet on Cole Palmer.
Sending the 23-year-old Englishman for surgery on his groin injury is seen as a last resort, with the Blues hoping they can manage his ongoing issue without the need for a knife.
Cole Palmer's ongoing groin injury is hampering his ability to play his usual talismanic role for Chelsea - but they do not want him to go under the knife just yet
Bernardo badgering the officials on behalf of Maresca
Bernardo Cueva is not only Chelsea’s set-piece coach – he is performing a role under Maresca which we may as well call ‘guardian of the laws’.
To avoid Maresca getting into bother and risking a yellow card, Cueva has taken it upon himself to do the complaining to the fourth official when Chelsea think the rules aren’t being properly applied.
Clued up on the laws of the game, you will often see Cueva leaving the technical area to alert the officiating team to something they may be missing. That was certainly the case on Tuesday night, when Lincoln were stealing 10 yards at throw-ins so they could have Tom Hamer launch long ones into the box.
Maresca received his first booking in the Premier League this season in their weekend trip to Old Trafford. Three would trigger a one-match ban.
Get ready for Geovany
We do not know the identity of the Chelsea staff member who sent the message, but Confidential has been told that Geovany Quenda received some kind words after the 18-year-old scored a sensational goal for Sporting CP in the 4-1 Champions League win against Kairat Almaty.
The flying winger/wing-back will join the Blues next summer in a £40m deal, and his future club are tracking him closely.
The Portugal Under 21 international is determined to use this season with Sporting to show why Chelsea supporters should be excited for his impending arrival.
Geovany Quenda's brilliant goal for Sporting CP against Kairat Almaty helped lead his current side to a 4-1 win in the Champions League, and drew praise from his future side too
What now for Guiu?
Marc Guiu could have played at Lincoln on Tuesday night after a recent EFL rule change - but a late niggle ruled him out anyway.
Until this season, the 19-year-old would have been cup-tied, having played in Sunderland's second-round Carabao Cup defeat by Huddersfield during his short-lived loan spell on Wearside. But even though the rules have changed, a niggle picked up in training the day before the trip to Lincolnshire ruled him out. So what now?
Liam Delap is targeting the new year for his return from the injury that sparked Guiu's recall from Sunderland, but when Delap does return, it may be too late for the Spaniard to go loan.
If he plays a single minute for Chelsea this season, he won't be able to go out on loan in January, as you cannot play for three clubs in the same campaign under FA rules. And it is unlikely that Guiu will waste away on the bench to preserve him for a future loan, with Maresca promising the striker that he will get his chances to impress under him.
