Enzo Maresca hints at HUGE Chelsea transfer mistake

Cameron Smith

13 Jan 2025 10:30 GMT
3 min read

Enzo Maresca has admitted that Chelsea have signed three “similar” players who are unable to shine in the same starting XI.

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The Blues have spent over €1.3 billion on new signings since Clearlake Capital’s arrival in 2022, but they are yet to win a trophy since the change of ownership at Stamford Bridge.

Raheem Sterling, Kalidou Koulibaly and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang have been signed and sold within the last two-and-a-half years, while Carney Chukwuemeka, Cesare Casadei and Renato Veiga could join that list before the end of the January transfer window amid significant rumours of a mid-season departure.

Chelsea oversaw a squad clear-out during the most recent summer window, however Maresca’s reluctance to use his substitutes bench over the past few weeks suggests there is a clear divide between his first and second choice XIs.

Furthermore, the Italian has now seemingly admitted that signing Cole Palmer, Joao Felix and Christopher Nkunku was a poor decision, given they all work best in a No.10 role.

© IMAGO - Joao Felix joined Chelsea on a permanent deal in August

What has been said?

Speaking after Chelsea’s 5-0 win over Morecambe in the FA Cup, Maresca told reporters: “The only thing I've said since the start is it's difficult to play games with so many attacking players.

“If Joao plays it means that Cole doesn't play, or if Joao plays he has to play with Cole together but it depends on the game.

“For me it's quite easy, we have three players that are more or less similar, Joao and Cole and Christo.”

STATS

Cole Palmer

M (CR)

Chelsea

Cole Palmer

M (CR)

Chelsea

20

Games
13

Goals
6

Assists

Maresca continued: “Joao has played some games, Christo has played, they both played against Ipswich, they both played Southampton and Leicester. In some games we can play with them all together but not every game.”

Palmer has started as an attacking midfielder in 19 of Chelsea’s 20 Premier League matches so far this season, while Felix and Nkunku have largely been restricted to cameo appearances off the bench in the English top flight.