Enzo Maresca says Chelsea rebuild ahead of schedule

LONDON – Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has claimed that the overhaul of his squad is already ahead of schedule, as he looked ahead to the English Premier League home clash with fellow London side Crystal Palace on Sept 1.

The 44-year-old Italian was hired from Leicester City in July to replace Mauricio Pochettino, who left Stamford Bridge after only one season in charge.

The Argentinian was the latest Chelsea boss to fall out of favour with co-owner Todd Boehly, who had previously sacked Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter since buying the west London team in 2022.

Boehly has splashed out well over £1 billion (S$1.7 billion) on new signings during his turbulent reign, with little return on that eye-watering investment.

The spending has continued under Maresca, who led Leicester to promotion from the Championship last term, as Pedro Neto and Joao Felix headlined Chelsea’s summer recruitment drive.

Several big names – including Raheem Sterling who left for Arsenal on a loan deal on the Aug 30 transfer-deadline day – have been deemed surplus to requirements by Maresca, as he looks to improve a side who finished sixth in the Premier League and lost the League Cup final to Liverpool.

Chelsea still have a bloated squad who are difficult to manage, but the new Blues boss is convinced that his side, who made it through to the Europa Conference League group stage 3-2 on aggregate on Aug 29, have made good progress under his management.

“I’m very happy at the moment. It’s less than two months (that I’m in charge) still. I’m very happy. In my expectation we are ahead, so I am very happy about this,” Maresca said.

“And the good thing is we have just started, so we have many things that we need to improve, but we are in the right direction. I think for all managers once the window is closed you can work just with that squad, those numbers, so you feel a bit better.

“I’ve already said that, since I started, I’m working with around 25 players so you can manage quite well.”

England forward Cole Palmer will be key to Maresca’s hopes of quickly transforming Chelsea into contenders for a top-four finish.

The 22-year-old scored 25 goals for them last season and earned a place in Gareth Southgate’s England squad for Euro 2024, where he further enhanced his blossoming reputation with some impact substitute appearances.

Palmer heads into the match against Palace having opened his account in last weekend’s 6-2 demolition of Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Maresca believes he can get even better if he ignores the mounting expectations on him.

“I’ve been very impressed with Cole. It’s never easy to repeat the same numbers as last year in terms of goals and assists,” he said. “I think the most important thing for Cole is to enjoy football, don’t feel pressure on his shoulders.

“He has to enjoy every day, training and games, and then the goals and assists, they’re going to come, for sure.” AFP, REUTERS