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Topics: Enzo Maresca, Chelsea, Football, Europa Conference League
Ryan Smart
Topics: Enzo Maresca, Chelsea, Football, Europa Conference League
A Chelsea player has been excluded from Enzo Maresca's squad to take on Panathinaikos in the Conference League, it has been reported.
Chelsea take on the Greek giants on Thursday evening in Athens looking to extend their perfect record in this season's competition.
The Blues won their first match 4-2 against Belgian side Gent this month.
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Maresca took the bold decision to not register several of his star players for the competition in order to keep them fully fit for other competitions.
Cole Palmer, Romeo Lavia and Wesley Fofana were not picked in the Italian's final 27-man squad.
But now Maresca has been told to leave out another player.
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According to The Athletic, right-back Josh Acheampong was told by club officials that he will not play for Chelsea's senior or reserve squads until he signs a new contract to remain at Stamford Bridge.
The 18-year-old England youth international is highly-rated by the club, and made a 27-minute appearance in Chelsea's 5-0 Carabao Cup win over Barrow last month.
His current contract is due to expire in 2026, with the club having opened talks with him over an extension. As of yet, however, no resolution has been found.
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Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Maresca expressed his frustration at both the situation and that Acheampong was not available for selection.
He said: "To be honest, I feel a bit of shame for Josh because I think these kinds of games can be an opportunity for him.
"I think Josh potentially can become a top player. He is still 18, so still very young. So many things can change for him, but he can potentially be very important for Chelsea.
"It's so important for the club that our intention is not to lose him. The first thing we need to do is find a solution for his future.
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"For him, I don't know if the people who are trying to solve the problem, if they are helping him or not.
"I really like Josh, and I would really like to have him here with us. But it is not possible."