Up to a dozen players, Liam Delap and Nicolas Jackson among them, are working through sessions alongside Xabi Alonso's main group rather than apart from it, training on the same first-team surfaces even though they aren't part of the central session.
It's a deliberate departure from the club's so-called "bomb squad" era, when Raheem Sterling filmed himself training alone in the evening and Axel Disasi was shuffled off to work with the academy before eventually leaving on loan.
Alonso ruled out repeating that approach, and the shift followed talks with the Professional Footballers' Association last year alongside what the club described as a period of self-reflection over the summer.
The new group isn't purely a departure lounge, either. Jordan Henderson and Danny Welbeck, both summer arrivals, have spent time in it simply to build match fitness, sitting alongside players whose Chelsea careers may be closer to ending.
Delap and Jackson fall into the latter category: with no European football to plan around this season, Chelsea are working to trim their squad, and having six senior strikers on the books when the target is three leaves little room for ambiguity. Everton have shown interest in Delap, valued at £50m, while Aston Villa are keen on Jackson, whom Chelsea want £65m to sell.
Marc Guiu also looks likely to depart, with João Pedro, Welbeck and Emmanuel Emegha expected to form Alonso's striking options for the campaign.
Tosin Adarabioyo and Disasi sit in the separated group too, alongside a handful of younger players bound for loan spells. Enzo Fernández remains an exception — training with the main squad despite his own push to leave.
Chelsea's self-imposed deadline of last Friday for offers at his £120m valuation passed without a bid from any club, though the door hasn't closed; any offer above that mark would still be considered, and Manchester City remain interested without having formally tabled one.