One of the big worries that many had about how Enzo Maresca was going to do as Chelsea manager was how he was going to deal with the extraordinary squad depth at his disposal.
Some of their top players have found it difficult to earn first team minutes in the Premier League. Christopher Nkunku is reportedly frustrated at his current situation.
The Blues have a heap of players currently out on loan, with some no doubt having the capability to make it at first team level.
Head Coach Enzo Maresca of Chelsea during a press conference at Chelsea Training Ground on November 21, 2024 in Cobham, England.
Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images
Maresca has already hinted Andrey Santos could be involved next season, a move which would bring even more quality to an already stacked set of midfielders.
Enzo Maresca has no idea if Lesley Ugochukwu will return to Chelsea in January
Another player who is no doubt desperate to break into that group is Lesley Ugochukwu, who is currently on loan at Chelsea’s opponents tomorrow, Southampton.
While he won’t be available tomorrow anyway, it is fair to say he is not getting the minutes the Blues would have been hoping he would have this season so far.
This has led to talk that he could return from his loan move as soon as January, although Maresca admitted he currently has no idea whether that will be the case.
He said in his pre-match press conference: “No idea [if he will come back in January]. Too many games to be thinking about that.”
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Ugochukwu compared by Chelsea to Aurelien Tchouameni
Ugochukwu played quite an important role in Chelsea’s pre-season campaign, scoring twice in what was an underwhelming summer.
Former manager Mauricio Pochettino believed the midfielder is a ‘talented’ player, although it at this stages looks tough to see a long-term future at Stamford Bridge for the youngster.
It had previously been claimed that Chelsea saw similarities between Ugochukwu and Aurelien Tchouameni, although the quality of Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez and Romeo Lavia have put them way ahead of anyone else in the pecking order as of now.
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