Chelsea Football Club’s groundbreaking transfer burst has left fans and pundits wondering how new manager Enzo Maresca plans to integrate the arrival of fresh talent into his squad.
In a surprising revelation, Maresca disclosed that he’s only working with 21 players, while 15-20 others train separately. He insisted that the club is not in “a mess” despite having 40 first-team players on their squad on Wednesday.
Another summer transfer window for Chelsea went on Wednesday with Conor Gallagher completing his move to Atlético Madrid while João Félix has become the club’s 11th signing of the summer transfer window in exchange.
He also confirmed that several players are training away from the first team having been several high-profile players in that group including Gallagher before his departure, Ben Chilwell, Trevoh Chalobah and Sterling.
Maresca speaking on Wednesday said “Today’s session is with 20 players, yesterday’s session was with 21. So the other 15 or 20 are training apart. During the preseason we had 26 or 27 players” So as it is Chelsea players are up to 43, or 42. Maresca added “But they are not working with me every day. I don’t see them. So it is not a mess like it looks from outside, absolutely not.”
Chelsea have adopted a policy of signing players on long-term contracts — often eight or nine-year deals. The recent one was that for Cole Palmer who extended his contract up until 2033 after having a spectacular debut season with the Blues. But Maresca stated that his selection criteria would not be affected as a result.
“I’m here to take the decision and think only the best for us,” he also added. “I’m not thinking about how many years contract, it is not my job. If they have a six-year contract but I don’t like them, they can have a 20-year contract, I don’t care.
So as it is further sales are expected from Chelsea as Premier League clubs and those participating in UEFA competitions can only register a 25-man squad to use in the competition once the summer transfer window closes.
As Chelsea embarks on this radical journey, only time will tell if Maresca’s bold approach pays off. With the team’s fate yet to be decided, the coming weeks will be crucial in determining the success of this strategy. Will Maresca’s gamble lead to a formidable and victorious squad, or will it result in a fragmented and struggling team? The answer lies in the manager’s ability to balance innovation with consistency, and only the future will reveal the absolute outcome.
