Enzo Maresca reveals Joao Felix's future

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has dropped a big hint on the future of Joao Felix.

Fabrizio Romano has reported on X that Enzo Maresca made a comment about Joao Felix's future ahead of the return of Premier League football this weekend.

"I see Cole Palmer and João Félix playing together as one of the targets for the future," said the Italian manager. "João is doing fantastic with us since day one, the only problem is to find the balance."

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It's clear that Enzo Maresca sees Felix in Chelsea's starting XI eventually, which makes sense when you consider that he began the season with Jadon Sancho starting.

Both Sancho and Joao Felix are laconic playmakers who have incredible talent that they don't always maximise through a lack of explosive effort.

But Maresca is clearly interested in combining that sort of player with Cole Palmer's explosive style. And so right now he's working towards that with just one problem: Joao Felix has to play well enough to get into the team.

Joao Felix's potential at Chelsea

Joao Felix joined Chelsea this summer for a massive €52m transfer fee after a decent season on loan to Barcelona in 2023/24.

He's had a mixed time of things since his return to Stamford Bridge, having played half a season on loan for the Blues in 2022/23.

Felix has incredible natural talent and an enormous potential, but while Maresca may want the Portuguese in the start XI long-term, he's not been playing him with the first-team much all this season.

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Things started off brightly as he scored on his debut, bagging the sixth goal in their 6-2 win over Wolves.

However as of late November he has yet to start a Premier League game and in fact has played just once in his last six games, a 9 minute cameo against Nottingham Forest.

Felix has instead started in the EFL Cup and the UEFA Conference League, playing against weaker opposition. However, he has managed to shine in the cups, netting four goals and two assists across both competitions.

Maresca will be hoping to find the balance between having Noni Madueke and Pedro Neto down both flanks and replacing one of his pacy, direct wingers with a more laconic dribbling playmaker in Felix, especially if he isn't playing as well as them right now.

Consequently, Felix's form has ultimately led to Maresca deeming the Portuguese international as 'for the future' in the hopes his summer signing can eventually display his best form at Stamford Bridge.