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A group of Chelsea players placed on the transfer list have been training separately at Cobham.

Xabi Alonso has rejected the suggestion that Chelsea have brought back their notorious bomb squad, saying instead that his players are simply working in “different groups”.

Several Chelsea players who are expected to leave the club this summer have spent the past week training in a separate group, with transfer-listed forwards Nicolas Jackson and Liam Delap among them.

Also in that separate group are Axel Disasi and Mykhailo Mudryk, both available for loan, while summer arrivals Jordan Henderson and Danny Welbeck are also training apart as they work towards full fitness.

The arrangement has drawn comparisons with the ‘bomb squad’ policy used by Enzo Maresca, under which players considered surplus to requirements — including Raheem Sterling, David Datro Fofana and Disasi — were frozen out for months and made to use academy facilities. The players involved went on to raise complaints over their treatment with the Professional Footballers’ Association.

Mykhailo Mudryk is among the Chelsea first-team players currently training in a separate group.

Alonso’s handling of the separate group is understood to be less severe, with those players still training on the same pitch as the first team and using the same facilities.

“We are managing well with group dynamics,” Alonso said at a press conference on Thursday. “Whenever we need, we have different groups, so it's not been an issue at the moment.”

Enzo Fernandez, Malo Gusto and Pedro Neto have all been linked with moves away from Chelsea this summer, but it is understood that all three are training with Alonso’s main group.

Summer signing Jordan Henderson is reportedly training separately as he works his way up to match fitness.

Chelsea are expected to devote much of their attention to outgoings for the rest of the transfer window, with the club’s website currently listing 39 players in the first-team squad. A Premier League squad can contain only 25.

Of the six strikers listed, Marc Guiu, Liam Delap and Nicolas Jackson all appear likely to leave, which would leave Emmanuel Emegha, Danny Welbeck and Joao Pedro to spearhead the attack in the Premier League.

The Blues also currently have four first-team goalkeepers on their books, along with ten centre-backs. That figure is expected to reduce in the coming days, with Benoit Badiashile likely to complete a loan switch to Napoli.