Soccer

Enzo Maresca: Chelsea’s squad is not a mess like it looks from outside

Raheem Sterling and Ben Chilwell are expected to leave the Blues as a flurry of transfer activity continues.

New Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca accepts he cannot keep all of the players happy
New Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca accepts he cannot keep all of the players happy (John Walton/PA)
By Robert O'Connor, PA

Enzo Maresca insists Chelsea’s squad is “not a mess” in the wake of another flurry of transfer deals.

Joao Felix completed his return to the club on Wednesday, signing a seven-year contract – 15 months after he last played for the Blues on loan – with the Portugal forward’s arrival from Atletico Madrid helping facilitate Conor Gallagher’s move in the opposite direction.

Maresca has a huge squad at his disposal and has confirmed Raheem Sterling and Ben Chilwell are just two players who are not in his plans.

Raheem Sterling has no expectation of featuring for Chelsea this season
Raheem Sterling has no expectation of featuring for Chelsea this season (Bradley Collyer/PA)

However, speaking ahead of Chelsea’s Conference League play-off against Servette, Maresca said he feels the situation has been blown out of proportion.

“I am not working with 42 players, I am working with 21 players (in first-team training),” the Italian said.

“It’s not a mess like it looks from outside. The other players can even have 20 years contract, it is not my point. I don’t care.”

Commenting on the situation with Sterling and Chilwell, Maresca added: “In this moment, they are training apart (from the squad). As I said, the situation with both of them is quite clear, there is not any update on the situation.

“We have a big squad, for me it’s impossible to give everyone minutes so if they’re looking for minutes, probably it is better to leave. And in case they don’t leave, they have a contract here, they are Chelsea players.”

The PA news agency understands Sterling’s exclusion for Sunday’s Premier League opener against Manchester City came as no surprise to the player after he was told by Maresca following the conclusion of Friday’s training session that he is not in his plans and that he should assess his options.

The Chelsea boss is confident, meanwhile, that new signing Felix can make a big impact back at Stamford Bridge.

“He is a good player, a talent. The club already knows him from two years ago,” Maresca said.

“He can play different positions with us, inside, as a nine, outside.”

Felix made 20 appearances in all competitions during a somewhat underwhelming six-month loan spell with the Blues in the second half of the 2022-23 season, scoring four times before spending the last campaign on loan at Barcelona.