Has Run To Club World Cup Final Been Worth It For Chelsea?

Whatever happens successful Sunday's final, Chelsea will beryllium stepping distant from nan Club World Cup pinch much than 10% of nan full $1bn (£740.5m) prize cookware group speech by Fifa.

Given their already lavish summertime spending, it is money not to beryllium sniffed at.

But nan competition, which will scope its conclusion erstwhile nan Blues look Paris St-Germain successful New Jersey, has been astir much than conscionable nan immense riches connected connection for Enzo Maresca's side.

It represents an opportunity to adhd a 2nd trophy successful arsenic galore months aft their Conference League triumph successful June, further dampening disapproval of nan Todd Boehly-Clearlake Capital task built astir signing young players connected agelong contracts.

It's besides a chance to opportunity they are world champions - astatine slightest until nan adjacent tourney is held successful 2029.

Chelsea person put important activity successful getting this far, pinch imaginable injuries to contend pinch and a shorter pre-season earlier nan Premier League play originates connected 16 August.

BBC Sport weighs up nan pros and cons of nan Club World Cup to nan club.

Chelsea's non-international players had a 10-day break aft winning nan Conference League final, but others came into nan title aft representing their nationalist sides conscionable a week earlier.

They had a four-day stint training astatine Cobham earlier flying into Atlanta for a lucifer against Los Angeles FC, earlier basing themselves successful Philadelphia for nan mostly of nan group stage.

They moved connected to Miami, earlier settling successful New York for nan semi-final and last - nan travelling has been vast.

But location was 1 changeless successful nan United States - it was basking everyplace and impacted Chelsea's expertise to train. And, while nan nine has coped admirably and recovered ways to win, keeping players happy has been different challenge.

A ample magnitude of state has been afforded to nan players by head Maresca to bask their downtime successful nan various US cities, while besides expecting a precocious grade of professionalism.

Players person been capable to meet friends and family, particularly from nan knockout stages onwards, and it has kept galore happier than mightiness person been nan case.

The Blues besides smartly drafted successful Football Association (FA) unit to thief organise nan camps down nan scenes, including intermezo and accommodation for nan families of nan players.

With pre-season now group to beryllium trim significantly, Maresca has utilized nan title to research pinch a caller system.

Against Flamengo he switched to a statement utilising much accepted full-backs and pinch Cole Palmer playing arsenic an inverted winger, conscionable arsenic he did nether erstwhile leader Mauricio Pochettino.

That ended successful a disappointing 3-1 conclusion and attracted criticism, though they did bounce backmost pinch a 4-1 extra-time last-16 occurrence complete Benfica utilizing a akin system.

Maresca has besides utilized much of his squad than immoderate different nine astatine nan tourney successful 27, pinch each outfield subordinate taken to nan US getting immoderate clip connected nan pitch.

New signings Liam Delap, Joao Pedro, Dario Essugo and Mamadou Sarr person made their debuts - on pinch Andrey Santos and Aaron Anselmino, who were already astatine nan nine - and immoderate of them person spoken astir really nan quality of nan agelong overseas travel has helped them assimilate pinch their caller team-mates.

Delap said "100%" erstwhile asked astir this, adding: "Settling into immoderate caller place, it is ever adjuvant spending 24/7 pinch everyone.

"It has really helped maine get to cognize everyone."

Forwards Delap and Joao Pedro person some deed nan crushed moving excessively aft their arrivals from Ipswich Town and Brighton.

But nan transportation model has been a double-edged beard pinch Noni Madueke, Nicolas Jackson, Christopher Nkunku and Trevoh Chalobah among nan players being linked pinch moves.

Madueke, who has agreed individual position pinch Arsenal while Chelsea clasp retired for a £50m fee, continues to beryllium progressive from nan bench.

Much has been made astir nan immense riches astatine nan extended Club World Cup - and Chelsea are closing successful connected nan jackpot.

Their semi-final triumph complete Brazilian broadside Fluminense took their full to astir £80m, though Fifa person not confirmed their nonstop information fee.

On apical of nan £21.9m for reaching nan final, nan Blues will declare different £7.3m if they assistance nan trophy.

Joao Pedro, a £60m signing from Brighton, repaid astir a 3rd of his transportation interest pinch his 2 debut goals against Fluminense.

But Chelsea's full prize money astatine nan tourney will beryllium much than capable to salary for his transfer, pinch a spot much near complete going towards nan £30m signing of Delap.

It will besides thief money nan £29m for Palmeiras winger Estevao Willian - who joins them aft nan Club World Cup - while £48.5m Jamie Gittens was different costly arrival.

But earlier their last group crippled against ES Tunis, Maresca said: "The owners conscionable want nan champion for america and for nan players crippled by game, and they are not talking astir nan last prize aliases nan last reward successful position of money.

"They ne'er put unit connected maine aliases nan players successful position of we request to triumph this tourney because of nan money."

Maresca says his players will person 3 weeks of vacation aft nan Club World Cup finishes - and confirmed location will beryllium nary trophy parade moreover if they hit PSG.

Many will pitchy disconnected to nan Caribbean aliases nan westbound seashore of nan US connected vacation straight from New York aft Sunday's showpiece.

But location will stay questions astir nan beingness costs of this competition, which has led Chelsea to playing 64 matches successful a 53-week season.

Essugo, Benoit Badiashile, Romeo Lavia and Moises Caciedo were among those to prime up injuries successful nan US.

Chelsea, however, had nan luxury of being capable to heavy rotate their squad successful competitions past season.

And location is simply a emotion that, contempt nan concerns astir nan Club World Cup, they person benefited some connected and disconnected nan pitch.

Chelsea players are expected to person astatine slightest 1 week little vacation than chap Club World Cup participants Manchester City.

They will look Bayer Leverkusen and AC Milan astatine Stamford Bridge successful a mini-tournament connected 8 and 10 August.

There is constricted clip to fresh successful immoderate further fixtures, pinch little than 2 weeks from erstwhile nan players return to training and their Premier League opener against Crystal Palace connected 17 August.