In the short space of time that Enzo Maresca has been manager of Chelsea Football Club, it appears that he’s been decisive in decisions that need to be made, and strong enough in his own convictions to stand firmly behind any moves that he makes.
It’s clear that the 2024/25 campaign is a vitally important one for the Blues to get right after a couple of hugely damaging seasons.
That’s despite Chelsea spending an incredible amount of money in the transfer windows, including two deals of over £100m in Enzo Fernandes and Moises Caicedo.
Enzo Maresca delivers brutal message to Ben Chilwell
Maresca simply has to get things right, or else he too could find himself given his P45 just as Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter and Mauricio Pochettino were under the current regime.
The Italian clearly has a set way of doing things, and one player that would appear not to fit into his way of working is left-sided defender-cum-wing-back, Ben Chilwell.
Out for long periods with injury last season, Maresca has delivered a brutal assessment of why the player needs to leave the club this summer.
?? Ben Chilwell, set to leave Chelsea as Maresca has confirmed: “It's probably better he goes and leaves and finds minutes”.
“I love the way he is, the problem is that he is struggling to find the right position with us…”. pic.twitter.com/pd6lsHIKh0
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 16, 2024
“It’s probably better he goes and leaves and finds minutes,” he was quoted as saying by CaughtOffside columnist and transfer expert, Fabrizio Romano, on X (formerly Twitter).
“I love the way he is, the problem is that he is struggling to find the right position with us…”
It’s an astonishingly frank statement from the manager, but perhaps that strong backbone is exactly what’s required at Stamford Bridge this season.
From Chilwell’s own point of view, at just 27 years of age and further injuries notwithstanding, he could still have a long future ahead in the game.
Depending on the fee that the Blues ask for the former Leicester City man, there’s likely to be a queue of suitors for his services.