Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has decided to register Cole Palmer for the Europa Conference League knockout phase after leaving him out of the squad for the group stage.

According to Football.London, Palmer will be added to the squad for the second half of the season, alongside defender Trevoh Chalobah, who has returned from his loan spell at Crystal Palace.

Maresca previously explained his rationale for excluding Palmer from the European campaign earlier in the season, saying in October, “We played some games without Cole, but Cole is something extra that you need.”

The Chelsea boss also emphasised the importance of managing the young midfielder’s workload, adding, “We also need to think a bit to protect some players. They need that. There is a reason behind it, and I think Cole needs to be protected.”

Now, with Chelsea progressing to the knockout rounds, Palmer is set to make his mark in Europe for the Blues.