Enzo Maresca has confirmed that two Chelsea stars “want to leave” next month and they will “try to find a solution” when the transfer window opens.
Maresca has done a great job since arriving at Chelsea, who are ahead of schedule as they mount an unexpected challenge for the Premier League title.They are currently two points adrift of table-toppers Liverpool, who have a game in hand.
Chelsea have an oversized squad, but Maresca has managed this situation brilliantly as most of his players have had plenty of game time in the Premier League or Europa Conference League.
It helps that Chelsea are winning matches, but Maresca has impressively managed to keep the majority of his squad happy.
The head coach has not kept everyone satisfied, though. He has revealed that Ben Chilwell and Carney Chukwuemeka are likely to be the “first to leave” in January.
“There are players that unfortunately didn’t play a lot with us in all the competitions like (Ben) Chilwell, like Carney (Chukwuemeka),” Maresca said.
READ: Chelsea dominate top ten most improved PL players thanks to manager of the season Enzo Maresca
“Probably they are the first [to say] that they want to leave because they train every day, because they want to play games and if they don’t play games probably they are thinking of leaving.
“Each player is a bit different situation, so we’re going to see if some of them are coming and knocking on the door to say ‘I want to leave’ or something like that. We will try to find a solution.”
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano claims Cesare Casadei is also ‘planning to leave in January’ and Serie A ‘remains his most likely destination’.
While these three are set for exits, Maresca has encouraged Chelsea’s younger stars to stick around as this would be the “best thing for them”.
“I think with young players like Marc (Guiu), like Josh (Acheampong), like Ty (Tyrique George), for me the best thing for them is to be with us,” Maresca added.
MORE CHELSEA COVERAGE ON F365…
👉 Leicester keen on Dewsbury-Hall reunion as Chelsea ‘will listen to offers’ for two outcasts
👉 Man Utd: Rashford ‘attracting loan offer’ for ‘dream’ transfer with Arsenal, Chelsea ‘stance confirmed’
👉Arsenal ‘favourites’ to beat Man Utd, Tottenham to Chelsea transfer with summer flop ‘set for exit’
“They can understand every day the way we want to play, they can grow, we can teach them how we want them to play, so I think it’s better if they stay with us.
“Then it depends a little bit also on the desire of the players. If, in this case, Marc’s desire is to get more minutes and to play more, we sit with him and we decide together.”
He continued: “I’m not worried about the next three months, if the players are happy or not. We have many games, if they do the right things, if they work properly for sure they all are going to have a chance to play.
“Next week we have three games (against Everton, Fulham and Ipswich), so we continue to play many games. Then in January, the FA Cup will start.
“Game by game we’re going to try to choose the best XI, or the ones we think are the right ones for that game.”