Plans: Enzo Maresca
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Enzo Maresca is adamant that his young Chelsea side are ready to kick on next season - but admits they may need their own Virgil van Dijk-style signing to bridge the gap to Liverpool.
Chelsea host the newly crowned champions at Stamford Bridge on Sunday and will give the visitors a guard of honour ahead what is another vital game in their push for a top-five finish this season.
It has been a tumultuous campaign for the Blues, but securing a Champions League return would be a fine achievement for a squad that is, by design, the youngest in the Premier League.
Chelsea’s transfer policy since they were bought by Todd Boehly and Clearlake three years ago has revolved around snapping up Europe’s brightest talent.
There have, however, been suggestions that the club now needs experienced additions to make the leap to title contenders, as Liverpool did before realising their full potential under Jurgen Klopp and now going on to secure the title again under Arne Slot.
“The difference is they have been consistent compared to us,” said Maresca, whose side briefly had the chance to usurp Liverpool at the top of the table in December before falling away. “For part of the season we were very good, and then we lost some games. This has probably been the main reason why.
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“And also in terms of experienced players that know how to win games and these kinds of things, I think they have something more compared to us.”
Virgil van Dijk and Alisson transformed Liverpool
AFP via Getty Images
Having finished fourth in Klopp’s first full season in charge, Liverpool paid a world-record transfer fee for a defender to sign Van Dijk midway through the following campaign, then did likewise for a goalkeeper to prize Alisson from Roma.
Those two players would prove transformative as the Reds went on to win the Champions League and Premier League over the next two seasons, and have again been pillars of their defence this term.
Asked specifically whether Chelsea would need to shop for established senior players like Van Dijk and Alisson this summer, Maresca said: “For sure, if you want to close the gap with these kind of clubs then, for sure, you have to do things.”
However, the Italian is also certain that his young players will improve for their exposure this term. He cited the home loss to Legia Warsaw in the second leg of their Conference League quarter-final last month as another important lesson.
“Our team next season will be better also in terms of experience because this season has been one more year together,” he added. “There are ones who are growing, like Levi [Colwill] for instance. He is growing a lot in terms of leadership.
“For sure, next sure he will be better and better. Hopefully, the ones that we have, they can grow and help us in terms of experience.
“The Warsaw game we won 3-0 there [in the first leg] and at home we struggled, and that has been a good experience. But you have to go through this moment to learn.
“Now we can say, 'OK guys, it's already happened. It's not going to happen again.' Otherwise that means there's a problem. We need that kind of experience to improve.”
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