Chelsea reach special agreement to play one player Enzo Maresca has ‘fallen in love with’ once a week

Enzo Maresca has been forced to reach a special agreement for one of his star players.

The Chelsea manager was handed a huge squad when he took over, and it required significant trimming in the transfer window.

A total of 41 players departed Stamford Bridge, permanently or on loan, in the summer.

That left Maresca with a more settled squad, which he has guided to fourth in the Premier League table after seven games played.

Wesley Fofana has started every single league fixture for Chelsea this season, and Maresca is said to have ‘fallen in love’ with the defender.

But L’Equipe reports that he has had to reach an agreement with his staff that he will only play once a week until January 2025.

That arrangement is designed to ease any injury worries, after Fofana spent the majority of the last two seasons on the sidelines.

The Frenchman was absent for the whole of last season after suffering an ACL tear, and he was left out of Chelsea’s initial squad for the Europa Conference League in a bid to manage his fitness.

Wesley Fofana applauds the Chelsea fans after the win over Leeds United. Image: Alamy

Fofana was an unused substitute for France on Thursday night as Didier Deschamps’ men beat Israel 4-1.

He is also set to miss Chelsea’s upcoming clash with Liverpool when club football returns after the international break.

The 23-year-old is suspended after picking up a fifth yellow card of the season during Chelsea’s 1-1 draw with Nottingham Forest. Marc Cucurella is also unavailable after collecting five bookings in the opening seven fixtures.

That will force Maresca to change his preferred back line, which has conceded just eight goals in the league so far this season. Tosin Adarabioyo looks likely to deputise for Fofana at Anfield at the heart of defence.

Speaking after Chelsea’s 2-0 win over West Ham in September, Maresca said of Fofana: “Wes is a player I really love and we love with Wes because he is doing fantastic after one year of injury."

He added: "For any player that is out for a year, it is not easy and he is doing top. This is the only thing we want from him.”