See The 5 Chelsea Stars To Miss Arsenal Pre-season Friendly In China

Premier League Champion Chelsea summer signings Tiemoue Bakayoko and Antonio Rudiger will not be in action when Chelsea take on Arsenal in Saturday’s pre-season friendly in China.

The Blues take on their London rivals Gunners at the Bird’s Nest Stadium in Beijing in which it had been hoped the big-money arrivals would make an appearance.

However, it’s understood that Bakayoko, who arrived in a £40million deal from Monaco, is currently injured and will not be able to feature. He is still recovering from an operation on a minor knee problem.

While Rudiger who arrived from Roma for £34m to sure up Chelsea’s depleted defense remains on leave having been given an extended holiday due to the German star participation in the Confederations Cup in Russia.

The defender is expected to play in Chelsea’s next set of pre-season friendlies, which will be staged in Singapore.

The pair is not the only absentees as Antonio Conte begins to shape his team for the season ahead.

Eden Hazard remains out as he recovers from a fractured ankle sustained while playing for Belgium at the end of last season. Meanwhile, Diego Costa and Nemanja Matic are not taking part in the tour to Asia while their future remains to be sorted out.

Costa is virtually certain to leave the club after being told by Conte he is no longer wanted. Matic meanwhile is also free to leave with the Serbian being linked with a switch to Manchester United.

Premier League Champion will also lock horn with Bundesliga Champion Bayern Munich and Serie A giant Inter Milan in Singapore.