Marc Guiu had a difficult end to the summer, leaving Chelsea for better prospects only to be swiftly recalled to Stamford Bridge on deadline day.
When Liam Delap went down with an injury back in August, Chelsea found themselves lacking in a department that looked well-covered up to that point.
Nicolas Jackson had just been sent away to Munich, and had no interest in backtracking.
Guiu was recalled from his Sunderland loan to fill the gap in Enzo Maresca’s squad, and has made five appearances for the Blues.
Enzo Maresca happy with Marc Guiu at Chelsea
It takes a certain attitude to respond well to adversity, and that’s exactly what the Spaniard has done.
He might have just the one goal in five outings, but only two were starts. Guiu changed the game against Nottingham Forest, coming on when Chelsea were locked in a stalemate, and changing the playstyle as the Blues cruised to a 3-0 win.
Matt Law has heard from sources close to Maresca, and he has only good things to report.
He says: “At this stage, I’m told that Enzo Maresca is really pleased with Marc Guiu and how he’s re-integrated and his professionalism after a really difficult end to the summer for him.”
While Chelsea plan on prioritising Dastan Satpayev from next summer, Maresca is thought to be happy to stick with his current options for this season.
As Law explains: “Liam Delap is back and Joao Pedro is fit, Pedro Neto can also lead the line if needed, so when you put it like that you can see why Chelsea aren’t planning that much for January.”
So Maresca is pleased, but there’s a problem on the horizon for Guiu.
Marc Guiu high-fives Enzo Maresca after coming off for Chelsea
Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images
Marc Guiu will have to fight for his place at Chelsea
Even as a third-choice centre-forward, Guiu’s place in the squad is seriously under threat.
As mentioned, Satpayev is coming in the summer, as is Strasbourg’s Emanuel Emegha. It’s getting a bit crowded in the striker department.
Not to mention, Jackson could be passed up by Bayern Munich.
At 19, Guiu is still extremely young, and writing him off feels like a potential mistake. But Chelsea’s behaviour in the market suggests they aren’t banking on him coming good.
This season is his last chance to cement his place at Stamford Bridge. He has looked decent so far, and his attitude is a real positive, but goals need to start flowing for Chelsea to place him over next summer’s arrivals.