Chelsea is reportedly in discussions to arrange their pre-season training camp in Philadelphia. This move would allow the players to avoid the demanding travel schedule they faced last year.
The club is also said to be planning to stick to just the east coast throughout their tour, with several matches scheduled in the run-up to the Premier League season, which begins on August 12.
While not yet official, the Blues are set to play against Wrexham, the National League leaders, in North Carolina on July 19, before taking on Manchester United in San Diego, California. Several other fixtures are expected to be confirmed in due course.
Last season's pre-season tour, which culminated in a 4-0 loss to Arsenal, took a toll on the players as they travelled across all six US time zones over two weeks in sweltering temperatures. The new pre-season arrangements are designed to avoid such gruelling schedules and give the players a chance to acclimate themselves to the east coast's conditions.
The prospect of linking up with the NFL's Philadelphia Eagles at the NovaCare Complex is also being considered, with the Blues just a few hours away from key markets like New York, Washington DC, and Baltimore.
