Enzo Maresca does not consider Jadon Sancho a risk despite the winger’s fallout with Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag in the past.
Chelsea completed a deadline day move for Sancho, who joined on a loan from United with an obligation to buy next summer.
Maresca believes the 24-year-old has been “perfect” in the weeks since his switch.
The awards just keep on coming. 🥇 pic.twitter.com/IIQctKX51C
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) September 13, 2024
The London-born player was reportedly banned from United’s first-team facilities at the start of last season before he returned to Borussia Dortmund on loan in January.
Sancho has trained at Chelsea’s Cobham training complex during the international break and will be in contention for the Blues’ trip to Bournemouth in the Premier League.
“I don’t consider Jadon a risk,” Maresca told reporters on Friday. “He’s a player who can help us. Whatever’s happened with Erik (ten Hag), I have no idea. I can only judge the player on the weeks he’s been with us. He’s been perfect.
“With Jadon and Joao (Felix) when they joined the club, I had a chat with them. One of my messages to them is if you come here and don’t work properly then you’re not going to play. Before they arrived the message for them was clear.
“If they perform during the week then they’ll have a chance, if they don’t work properly then they won’t play.”
Sancho scored just nine goals for United since he joined in 2021.
The Manchester City academy graduate has caught the attention of Maresca who “loves” his ability in the final third.
“The only way to do the best for the team is to give chances to the players who really work and deserve,” the Italian added.
“Jadon’s working well since he arrived and he can help us in the way he plays.
“I love Jadon, I love Noni (Madueke), I love all the players we have. The reason we have Jadon here is because I love him, otherwise he’d not be here.
“We need more accuracy, more quality and passion, he’s that sort of player.
“He’s a quality player in the last third. He’s an accurate player whose last pass and assist is very good. He’s a player who arrives and when he has to finish the action or assist is very good.
“He’s similar to Noni, who has worked well for us.”
This week has seen reports of a rift between majority stakeholder Behdad Eghbali and minority holder Todd Boehly, with both co-owners apparently wanting complete control of the west London club.
Maresca insisted any internal friction between the two does not affect the future of his job, adding: “I’m not concerned or worried about this because I don’t know what’s going to happen and in case something happens (between Eghbali and Boehly) then I’m not sure if something will happen (with me), it’s too many things. My main focus is the pitch.”
