[Chelsea](https://chelseanews.com/) have one of the best defensive midfield partnerships in world football between Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo, but the question is the backups behind the elite duo.
Dario Essugo has been unable to make an impact in his first season with Chelsea due to an injury, while Romeo Lavia just went down with another significant injury in the team’s Champions League matchup with Qarabag.
Chelsea have Andrey Santos, but some fans are concerned about the lack of depth in midfield with the injuries. However, Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca doesn’t sound too concerned.
Speaking at the press conference before the match against Wolves, Maresca mentioned some other names who could give Moises Caicedo much-needed rest at the 6 besides Santos.
He named captain and right back Reece James as one option, which isn’t a surprise, since he’s played there quite a few times. But he also mentioned Josh Acheampong, a young right back who has become a real breakout star this season at the center back position in a pinch.
Maresca thinks Acheampong can be a No. 6 option if needed, and while that’s a surprising role for the teenage sensation, it does make sense when you consider how wise he is beyond his years and how good of a passer he is.
Maybe we’ll see No. 6 Acheampong at some point in the 2025/26 season, but hopefully not much, since that would mean that Chelsea are still having injury woes in midfield.
Joe Soriano is the editor of _The Trivela Effect_ and a FanSided Hall of Famer who has covered world football since 2010. He’s led top digital communities like _The Real Champs_ (Real Madrid) and has run sites covering Tottenham, Liverpool, Juventus, and Schalke. He also helped manage _NFL Spin Zone_ and _Daily DDT,_ covering the NFL and pro wrestling.