“He did not fit my playing pattern” – Enzo Maresca likely to sell ace who Thiago Silva called “the future” of Chelsea
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Chelsea’s head coach Enzo Maresca is expected to green-light the sale of a player once praised by former fan favorite Thiago Silva as “the future” of the club. As Chelsea moves towards the 2025 season, several squad members appear likely to depart Stamford Bridge.
Left-back Ben Chilwell and midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka are reportedly top candidates for transfers. Chilwell, who once captained Chelsea and was a regular under previous managers like Graham Potter and Thomas Tuchel, has seen his game time plummet under Maresca. The 27-year-old has logged just 45 minutes across all competitions this season and hasn’t appeared in a single Premier League squad under Maresca. Injuries have further hampered his Chelsea career, and now, with Maresca deeming him surplus to requirements, Chelsea is actively seeking suitors in England, Spain, and Italy to offload the £200,000-per-week defender in the upcoming transfer window.
Chukwuemeka, meanwhile, has caught the attention of Barcelona and AC Milan. At 20, the young midfielder appears to be outside Maresca’s long-term vision for Chelsea’s lineup. While earlier speculation suggested that Benoit Badiashile might also leave as early as January, recent reports from sources like Fabrizio Romano and GiveMeSport’s Ben Jacobs suggest the French defender will remain at Chelsea for now.
Chelsea also faces decisions on players out on loan, including academy graduate Trevoh Chalobah. Currently on loan at Crystal Palace without a purchase option, Chalobah is due back at Chelsea next summer. However, there are growing indications that Chelsea may look to use Chalobah as part of a deal to secure Murillo from Nottingham Forest, with Jacobs hinting that the club may pursue a sale for Chalobah in 2025. Chalobah, praised by Thiago Silva in 2021 for his rise from Lorient and deemed a future asset, has faced a different reality under Maresca, who excluded him from the pre-season squad, signaling that Chalobah’s Chelsea future may indeed be coming to an end.
