Chelsea have been forced to restart their ‘process’ under new management this summer after Enzo Maresca was appointed as Mauricio Pochettino’s successor. Last season’s sixth-place finish means European football will return to Stamford Bridge after a season away. After heavy investment in players over the last three seasons, there is more pressure than ever for the Blues to begin climbing up the table......See Full Story>>.....See Full Story>>
Maresca has already started work at Cobham with a number of first-team players including Reece James, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Wesley Fofana. A flurry of players are due back throughout the summer after their participation in international tournaments meaning the Italian may not inherit his full squad until August.
Chelsea have a busy pre-season schedule ahead of them that includes six friendlies – the first five all coming in the USA. It starts in 10 days’ time when they take on League One side Wrexham before they face Scottish champions Celtic just two days later.
Mexican side Club America follows before a tasty double-header with Manchester City and Real Madrid ending their summer trip to the States. Maresca’s men welcome Inter Milan to Stamford Bridge the week before the Premier League starts meaning there is plenty of opportunity to impress the new head coach.
Here, football has looked at four things Chelsea have to do before they take on Manchester City in their first Premier League game of the season.
Solve striker problem
The most pressing problem at Chelsea at the moment, certainly in terms of squad headaches. Nicolas Jackson proved his quality last season but at times, showed the rawness of his performance that became a problem for Pochettino.
Under Maresca, the Senegal international is expected to be given another opportunity as the first-choice centre-forward but the need for a clinical No.9 remains. Step forward Victor Osimhen. The Napoli star is yet to seal his big-money move from Italy but an agreement is in place to allow him to leave, should the right offer come.
There is obviously the fear that spending big could stagnate Jackson’s development but if Chelsea are going to begin competing at the top of the Premier League, he is the sort of profile needed.
Find Maresca’s secret weapon
At Leicester, Dewsbury-Hall and Ricardo Pereira became two key members of Maresca’s style of play. Dewsbury-Hall played an offensive No.8 role in between the lines, forming a brilliant partnership with left winger Stephy Mavididi while Pereira evolved from an attacking wing-back to a deep-lying playmaker.
At Chelsea, who is going to be Maresca’s secret weapon? It’s likely we could see Reece James or Marc Cucurella come inside to play as a midfielder from full-back and Enzo Fernandez could be allowed the freedom to venture forward.
The Italian will look to spend pre-season trying and testing different line-ups to identify his strongest XI but these two positions are expected to play key parts under his stewardship.
Take shackles off Mudryk
Mykhailo Mudryk played in Euro 2024, was knocked out of the group stages and yet still returned to Cobham earlier than expected. The winger is yet to feel success in England after his move in 2023 but this season is yet another, and perhaps his last, chance to set a marker down.
The Ukraine international clearly has quality and Maresca will be desperate to get the best out of him. A new manager means fresh ideas and Mudryk could be one of the many players to benefit.
Whoever plays as Chelsea’s first-choice left winger will have a big job on their hands in linking-up with the left-sided attacking midfielder. Could now be the team that Mudryk finally makes a name for himself.
Defensive security solved
Another example of Maresca having to fix problems that have hindered Chelsea in the last few seasons, this time in the defence. Under Graham Potter and Pochettino, the Blues simply failed to form a formidable partnership in the backline due to injuries.
Now, Thiago Silva has left meaning the club lacks a serious leader. How the new head coach lines up his defence is currently unknown, but one that is certain is the need for consistency.
Wesley Fofana’s return from injury will finally unleash the Frenchman’s potential to impress in west London and players such as Axel Disasi, Benoit Badiashile and Trevoh Chalobah will be biting at the bit to become regulars. Get the defence right and Chelsea will be closer to their goals.