Revealed: Chelsea’s Spygate threat at Cobham HQ after two unknowns caught walking past training, Cristiano Ronaldo’s set-piece analyst joins Blues and what really happened with Enzo Fernandez after Fulham win – CHELSEA CONFIDENTIAL

There is a secret entrance to Chelsea’s training ground. Those arriving via the nearby Cobham & Stoke D’Abernon train station use it frequently because it beats going the long way around.

Only regular visitors to the club’s Surrey HQ know it is there, this doorway which takes you down a passage surrounded by foliage until you are left walking towards the first-team building.

However, Willie Isa did not appear too pleased with the use of this hidden gate last week. The New Zealand-born former Samoa rugby league star, who is now Chelsea’s player support and development officer on Xabi Alonso’s staff, seemed irked that two unknowns had walked past what was supposed to be a closed training session on Friday.

Clubs are understandably cautious around unknown visitors to training grounds following the Southampton Spygate scandal earlier this year. As exclusively revealed by Daily Mail Sport, Saints manager Tonda Eckert sent a junior analyst to record opposition training sessions, for which the club were kicked out of the Championship play-offs in May and docked four points from this season’s campaign. 

You can only get through the offending Cobham gate if security let you through after verifying your identity, so these individuals will have had clearance to be within the Cobham grounds on this particular afternoon. Yet Isa did not know who they were, and did not seem to like that they had potentially gotten a glimpse of Cole Palmer and Co preparing for their Premier League opener away at Fulham.

Let’s just say the security staff from then on were telling those trying to use this gate that they had better make the 15-minute walk to the front entrance – just as it began raining above Cobham.

Blues hire Ronaldo’s set-piece analyst 

After bringing in Austin MacPhee from Aston Villa, Chelsea have further added to their set-piece department by hiring a new first-team analyst called Andre Reis.

Reis spent the last seven years working with the Portuguese FA, analysing set-pieces for Portugal at the 2026 World Cup, throughout their victorious 2024-25 Nations League campaign and at Euro 2024.

Reis’ role was believed to involve on-pitch work as well as from behind his laptop. He built his way up to helping Cristiano Ronaldo and Co after originally acting as an analyst for Portugal’s youth.

Now, he will be helping Chelsea’s new set-piece specialist MacPhee, who joined this summer from Aston Villa and also spent the last year with Portugal.

Alonso said last week that he wants the ‘best possible specialists’ in every department.

Revealed: Hudson-Odoi’s agent banned

Callum Hudson-Odoi’s brother, Bradley, who is the former Chelsea and current Nottingham Forest winger’s agent, has been suspended for six months.

Bradley was accused of breaching FA Rule E1.2, and charged with allegedly approaching or representing a minor without first obtaining the additional authorisation; and that he then performed agent services without first entering into a representation agreement.

The FA hit him with a six-month suspension from all activity that falls under the Football Agent Regulations, including but not limited to Football Agent Services. The ban began on Monday this week and it will end on February 24, 2027. He was also fined £500.

Callum, who joined Chelsea as a seven-year-old and went on to make 126 first-team appearances as well as being capped three times by England, signed a new contract with Forest last season which was overseen by his sibling. That deal ties him down to the City Ground until 2028. He was an unused substitute in their opening-day home defeat by Leeds United.

Confidential contacted Bradley for comment and received no reply.

Sources say, Liquidator will stay! 

Stamford Bridge sources say they will not be following Wolverhampton Wanderers in binning their traditional pre-match playing of The Liquidator.

After a review, Wolves have confirmed the song will be avoided at Molineux, owing to supporters using its tune to chant offensively about their rivals, West Bromwich Albion.

Some Chelsea fans still use The Liquidator to sing ‘f*** off Tottenham’ at the Bridge, though much of the fanbase have been vocal in saying they do not like how a mention of Spurs invades what should be their song as the players prepare to play.

Chelsea’s first home fixture is against Luton Town on Thursday in the Carabao Cup with Brighton visiting in the Premier League on Sunday.

Enzo’s full-time antics

Chelsea insiders are anticipating an official move from Manchester City for Enzo Fernandez before the summer transfer window closes on September 1, but those inside Stamford Bridge are also entitled to believe they hold the power over this situation.

Fernandez is tied down to a long-term deal, and as shown in Chelsea’s Premier League opener away at Fulham, they are happy to keep using him.

They would only sell the Argentine for an enormous sum after spending all summer demanding at least £120million, and they want a replacement lined up. Otherwise, they would be weakening themselves and strengthening a rival.

A video clip on social media appeared to show Fernandez walking away from his Chelsea team-mates and towards the tunnel as they stood in front of the away end following their 3-2 Premier League victory over Fulham.

However, Confidential was at Craven Cottage, and in his defence, Fernandez did stand in front of the visiting supporters with everyone else. We then watched as Fernandez gave his shirt to a fan in the home end – we think they were holding a River Plate away shirt if our eyes were not deceiving us, in homage to the team he joined as a six-year-old and represented for 15 years – before exiting.

The BBC’s Match of the Day title credits this season include Fernandez in his Chelsea shirt, shown briefly in between Xavi Simons for Tottenham Hotspur and Erling Haaland for City.

It is almost as if the Beeb are tempting fate after the Argentine’s noisy ‘will he, won’t he’ summer.

Anything can happen while the summer window remains open and City boss Enzo Maresca made a point of using Marc Guehi in midfield next to Elliot Anderson in their 2-1 comeback win over Bournemouth. Anderson left the field injured in the second half.

Neto asking price puts off Saudi bids 

Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal turned their attention to Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli after learning that Chelsea valued Pedro Neto at close to £100million.

The Blues slapped that valuation on Neto after noting the asking prices for other wingers in this window and because they appreciate him highly internally.

However, Al Hilal are now getting closer to an agreement for Martinelli instead worth between £50-55million, with Neto relegated to a back-up option.

Neto got an earful from Chelsea captain Reece James during their 3-2 win at Fulham for not tracking back after he replaced Malo Gusto as a right wing-back.

Josh steps in and steps up

The Chelsea predicted lineup in Fulham’s matchday programme had Wesley Fofana starting in the visitors’ defence despite being suspended for this clash.

In Fofana’s place, Josh Acheampong impressed, though the 20-year-old academy graduate’s situation remains one to watch between now and the end of the window. As revealed by Daily Mail Sport last week, Chelsea have been considering whether to keep him where he is or sanction a loan.

They have long maintained that they do not want to sell him permanently. But performances like the one he put in at Fulham may only tell a few suitors that he is ready for more regular game time.