Featured Image Credit: Getty & Chelsea
Topics: Enzo Maresca, Chelsea
Josh Lawless
Enzo Maresca has made another Chelsea play surplus to requirements ahead of the new season.
Trevoh Chalobah and Conor Gallagher have been been ostracised from the first-team environment at Chelsea, with the latter "trying to find a solution with the club" after a mooted move to Atletico Madrid fell through at the eleventh hour.
But another senior first-team member of the Blues squad has been told to find a new club, with Maresca making the public comments in a press conference.
Ben Chilwell is Chelsea's vice-captain behind skipper Reece James but managed just 64 minutes in pre-season despite having a summer off.
He failed to feature in any of the final three fixtures and it appears as though Spain international Marc Cucurella will be Maresca's first-choice at left-back.
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And although he hasn't been cut from the first-team squad in training, Maresca has told Chilwell he would be better off leaving Stamford Bridge in pursuit of regular game-time.
"Chilly (Chilwell) has not been training for the last few days because he has been ill," Maresca said, speaking to reporters prior to the season opener against Manchester City.
"It's quite clear, I love the way he is but the problem is that he struggles with us a little bit to find his best position.
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"This morning we had 22 players training, and if you ask all of them they will say they want to play against City on Sunday but that is impossible.
"When they train every day and do not get any minutes, it is not good for them or for me, I need to make a decision. It is probably better to leave and get minutes (elsewhere). The transfer window is open so we'll see what happens."
Chelsea still have an incredible 43 players on the books, including Romelu Lukaku and Kepa Arrizabalaga.
But Maresca has barred 15 players from proceedings at Cobham, only allowing the 28 stars present on the United States tour to attend first-team training.
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As per Maresca, co-sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart have been tasked with finding solutions for those out of favour.