Chelsea ready to sell defender this summer for right price as he does not fit Enzo Maresca's system: Reports
Chelsea are prepared to sell Ben Chilwell for the right amount due to doubts about his suitability for Blues head coach Enzo Maresca's playing style, according to The Athletic.
The Blues, who secured a sixth-placed finish in the Premier League standings last campaign, are currently in the process of refreshing their ranks. They have already parted ways with the likes of Thiago Silva, Hakim Ziyech, Ian Maatsen, Lewis Hall, and Malang Sarr.
Now, according to the aforesaid website, Chelsea are aiming to cash in on Chilwell this summer. However, the Englishman's wages and price tag are believed to pose a major problem to the west London outfit.
Should Chilwell manage to seal a permanent switch away from Maresca's side this summer, Marc Cucurella would emerge as the outright first-choice left-back for the team. Malo Gusto could also be an option, having played a few pre-season games as a left-back.
Chilwell, who arrived from Leicester City for £50 million in 2020, has endured quite a tough time for Chelsea in the last three seasons. The 27-year-old has started just 44 matches across competitions in the aforementioned period of time due to a host of different injuries.
Former Chelsea star offers early prediction on Enzo Maresca's time at his former club
During a recent chat with British betting website Gambling Zone, former Blues star Emmanuel Petit was queried to predict Enzo Maresca's future at the west London side. He replied:
"Who knows what will happen if Maresca starts the season poorly. What will the ownership do if in October, Chelsea are 10th or 11th in the table? He and his coaching team signed five year contracts. The football club needs stability. You would hope that [they] will stick by him if he gets off to a bad start, but with this ownership, you don't know what will happen."
Petit, who played for the Blues between 2001 and 2004, concluded:
"You can't change your philosophy every six months. You can't think that because you've spent the most money, you will be successful. That's not how it works and that's not how you build a winning team. You can spend all the money in the world, but if you don't have the right leaders, the right culture and the right philosophy on and off the pitch, you will achieve nothing in football."
So far this summer, Chelsea have dished out close to £96 million.
The Blues will begin their 2024-25 campaign with a Premier League home contest against Manchester City on Sunday (August 18).