Enzo Maresca non-committal over Jadon Sancho’s future at Chelsea
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Jadon Sancho and Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca are seen at the Emirates on March 16.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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LONDON – Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca on April 2 admitted Jadon Sancho has room for improvement but was non-committal over his future at Stamford Bridge.
Reports last week said Chelsea were willing to sign the winger on a permanent deal from Manchester United, despite a £5 million (S$8.7 million) clause that would allow them to cancel the agreement.
Sancho moved to Stamford Bridge on loan in August in a deal that reportedly included an obligation for Chelsea to buy the player for as much as £25 million.
But after a promising start to life at the club, the 25-year-old’s form has dipped and details have emerged of a way out for the London club, if they paid a cancellation fee. With just two goals in all competitions and none since December, Sancho has struggled to hold down a regular place in Maresca’s side as they chase qualification for next season’s Champions League.
Maresca, whose fourth-placed team host Tottenham Hotspur on April 3, was asked at his pre-match press conference whether he wanted to sign Sancho permanently.
“All the players that are with us, I love all of them,” he said. “But in this moment, it’s the moment to finish well and then it’s not the moment to think about next season.
“I’m completely focused about nine games, two months to go. Then what happens in summer, we’ll see.”
The Chelsea manager was pressed on what Sancho needed to do to prove himself.
“For me, Jadon’s situation doesn’t change,” he said. “He’s exactly the same. For sure, in terms of numbers, he could do better, no doubt.
“But it’s not just about Jadon. I think we have more players in the same situation. Now, I don’t need to give Jadon a message because I speak with Jadon every day.
“I had a conversation yesterday with him. He has just to continue to give his best until the end.”
The competition for places has become tougher for Sancho as attacking trio Cole Palmer, Noni Madueke and Nicolas Jackson are all available for selection again after recovering from injury.
Meanwhile, Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou, whose side are a lowly 14th, has admitted there is “a large portion of Tottenham fans who’ve lost a bit of faith and belief in what we’re doing”.
He told Optus Sport: “I think they were encouraged by what they saw last year, but that certainly hasn’t manifested itself...
“We went into the season really hard and probably underestimated the challenges of Europe this year with your two extra games and us having a deep cup run.
“Every time we try and get some steady ground, something else happens that shifts, and a lot of that goes back to the start of the year – maybe we would have taken a different approach knowing the kind of season we had ahead.” AFP
