Chelsea defender trains with forwards in practice before next pre-season clash against Celtic: Reports
Chelsea defender Ben Chilwell was seemingly training with the club's wingers ahead of the Blues' next pre-season friendly against Celtic on Saturday (July 27). However, the England international isn't the only one to be training out of position in pre-season.
According to journalist Feroze Ali, club captain Reece James was also tried in an inverted midfield role, which he enjoyed. Trying the former Leicester City star in an advanced role could dampen the confidence of a youngster like Mykhailo Mudryk, who was brought in to play this position.
With the Ukraine international and Raheem Sterling failing to make an impact last season, it will be interesting to see if either can start the league next season. Providing an update about the new tactical experiment, Ali wrote on his X account (formerly Twitter):
"Today was the final training session for Chelsea in California before they head out to Indiana tomorrow. Some key points from training: Chilwell training with the wingers, Reece inverted a lot again and trained with the midfielders. Mudryk, Noni and Guiu looking sharp."
However, Chilwell himself isn't the most reliable option at left-back or otherwise, due to his problems with fitness. Last season, the 27-year-old missed 35 games across competitions for club and country, as he recovered from hamstring issues, knee problems, and illness.
Enzo Maresca can turn to Marc Cucurella or Levi Colwill to play at left-back should Chilwell's injury issues persist this season as well.
Chelsea open to offers for Ben Chilwell this summer- Reports
Although Ben Chilwell may have been tried in a new position in pre-season, reports claim that the English defender's future at Stamford Bridge is uncertain. According to The Athletic, the Blues are willing to listen to offers for the left-back this summer (via Mirror).
When asked about tactical plans for his full-backs this season, manager Enzo Maresca ignored Chilwell. At the press conference, he name-dropped the likes of Reece James, Marc Cucurella, and Malo Gusto, without mentioning Chilwell.
This means that the player could be sold in the summer. However, a move for him won't be cheap, given that he still has three years remaining on his contract.
To date, Chilwell has made 106 appearances across competitions for Chelsea, bagging nine goals and 12 assists. He's won the UEFA Champions League once.