Manager Enzo Maresca says Chelsea’s mid-season form hit by transfer talk

LONDON – Enzo Maresca said transfer speculation has “100 per cent” contributed to Chelsea’s mid-season slump, predicting there will be comings and goings in the final days of the January window.

The Stamford Bridge club were just two points behind English Premier League leaders Liverpool in mid-December, but are now 16 points off the pace after just one win in their past seven games.

A number of Chelsea players have been linked with moves, including Axel Disasi, Cesare Casadei, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Joao Felix and Christopher Nkunku, while Renato Veiga has already left to join Juventus on loan.

Maresca, whose sixth-placed team host London rivals West Ham United on Feb 3, was asked at his pre-match press conference on Jan 31 whether the rumours had unsettled his squad.

“A hundred per cent for me. But not only us, all the teams, because in the end they (the players) are human beings,” he said.

“Even if they say, ‘No, I’m professional, I’m focused on this’, in the end if they are talking about you, about different clubs, probably the focus is not 100 per cent. But it’s not just for us.”

The Chelsea manager said he was anticipating movement in the final days of the transfer window, which closes on Feb 3 (Feb 4, Singapore time).

Chelsea, who sit just one point behind fourth-placed Manchester City, have themselves been linked with moves for forwards in Manchester United’s Alejandro Garnacho and Mathys Tel of Bayern Munich.

“You can expect players to arrive and you can expect players leaving, so it’s like this in this moment. I don’t have any idea about the ones that can leave or the ones that can arrive. Anything can happen,” said Maresca.

The 44-year-old Italian also said he had not yet made a decision on who would start in goal against West Ham, now managed by former Chelsea boss Graham Potter.

No. 1 goalkeeper Robert Sanchez has made a number of high-profile errors this season, including in the

3-1 loss away to Man City on Jan 25.

Maresca said he had made clear Sanchez was first choice at the start of the season. But he added: “Because we have two good keepers, we can make some different decisions. For sure it can happen.

“It doesn’t mean that Robert can make a mistake every game and he’s always going to play. No. But the No. 1 choice was Robert, then we see during the season.

“Any decision I take I feel good because every time (deputy) Filip (Jorgensen) played since we started, he has done well. So Filip or Robert, we will see, but any decision will be okay.”

Ahead of the clash, Potter insisted that he bears no resentment towards the Blues, saying his sacking after less than seven months in April 2023 was “maybe the best thing that happened to me”.

The 49-year-old Englishman, who took over the Hammers only in January, said: “You know in a football life you’re going to get ups and downs. I didn’t want to lose my job. But, at the same time, I look back now and maybe it’s the best thing that happened to me.

“Maybe the next 10 to 20 years is going to be great because of the experience I’ve had. I just look at it as a learning experience. I’ve got no bad feelings towards Chelsea, I’ve still got a lot of good relationships with the people there.

“But I’m just looking forward to the journey I’m on now with West Ham at this great club and getting that connection with the supporters, working with the team and building something that we’re really excited about and proud about here.”

The Hammers are missing strikers Michail Antonio and Niclas Fullkrug as well as defender Jean-Clair Todibo through injury, while forwards Lucas Paqueta, Jarrod Bowen and Crysencio Summerville are doubts.

Chelsea’s treatment room is filled with defenders Wesley Fofana and Benoit Badiashile, and midfielders Romeo Lavia, Omari Kellyman and Mykhailo Mudryk. AFP