- 17 hours ago
Maresca reveals HUGE Chelsea transfer ‘surprise’
Robin Bairner
- Updated: 15 Jan 2025 00:58 CST
- 3 min read
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has admitted that on-loan Manchester United star Jadon Sancho is doing even better than expected following the summer deal to take him to Stamford Bridge.
Sancho was frozen out at Man Utd under Erik ten Hag and was shipped out to the Blues on a one-year loan deal that has an obligatory purchase clause in it. The size of this depends on where Chelsea finish in the Premier League table but will only be around the £25 million (€29.5m) mark.
The 24-year-old winger has started six of the last eight Premier League games – a run that continued in the 2-2 draw against Bournemouth on Tuesday – and Maresca admits that even he has been surprised by the impact the former Borussia Dortmund winger has had.
STATS
Jadon Sancho
F (L), M (RL)
Chelsea
Jadon Sancho
F (L), M (RL)
Chelsea
READ MORE: The THREE signings Enzo Maresca must make in 2025
“For me he’s doing very well,” the Chelsea head coach said. “I am quite surprised with Jadon, because I knew Jadon already [from seeing him at his previous clubs] and I know what I expected from him, but in terms of being consistent, he’s doing very well.
“Apart from a short part of the season when he had some problems, when he was out ill, then for the rest he has been very good.
“I expected him to do well, but for all the players doing well for a long period is not easy, and he has been doing well for a long period already. He’s doing well, now he just needs to continue going in that way.”
When Sancho completes his move to Chelsea in the summer, it seems they will get a bargain: his estimated transfer value (ETV) is €39.3m.
Maresca: Madueke one of our best
Special praise was also reserved for Noni Madueke, who Maresca described as one of Chelsea’s leading stars.
“I consider Noni to be one of our best players, to be honest, but because of that we want our best players to be in the right way always. No switching off, no some days that they can drop,” the Italian said.
“It is the other way and he is doing very good with us, knowing that during a season it is normal that for some moments players are not 100 per cent. But it is not just about Noni, it is about all the players.”
Chelsea’s draw with Bournemouth means they have failed to win any of their last five Premier League games, virtually ending their outside chance of the title but fuelling speculation they will make moves in the January transfer window, with a centre-back and a winger most notably on their shopping list.
