Enzo Maresca’s arrival at Chelsea has divided fans at Stamford Bridge. The Italian, who won the Championship last season with Leicester City, became the sixth manager of the Todd Boehly era at Stamford Bridge and has overseen an inconsistent start. Indeed, when the Blues look capable of threatening Premier League betting, they drop points and lose momentum, which Maresca will need to change.
One of the defining moments of his tenure was the decision to exile a small portion of the squad to reduce the number of players. During the summer transfer window, Chelsea had almost 40 players on their books, with the new boss doubling down on his commitment to thinning the side by trying to move on several key figures.
“The ones who are not involved are not going to be involved, and they are not going to get any minutes in case they stay,” Maresca said back in August, “I don’t know what happens when the transfer window closes. We’ll see who is here and who is not here. The only thing I can say is the ones who are going to get minutes are the ones I feel can help us.”
“When the transfer window closes they are not going to get minutes. I’ve been clear and honest with them, so this is the reason why.”
While some players have been allowed to move on, others have still seen limited minutes as we enter the second international break of the season.
While the likes of Armando Broja, Trevoh Chalobah and Romelu Lukaku were surplus to requirements, there were more key figures that were also shown the proverbial exit door.
In this article, we look at what the future could entail for some of the biggest Chelsea outcasts, and whether they chose to remain at Stamford Bridge and fight for a place or see their careers elsewhere.
Raheem Sterling
Since losing his shirt number to new signing Pedro Neto, Raheem Sterling knew his time was up at Chelsea – the 29-year-old joined Arsenal on loan until the end of the season.
Sterling spent two seasons back in London after signing from Manchester City, where he won four Premier League titles, and was a senior figure in the Chelsea dressing room before Maresca’s arrival. However, with the Italian preferring direct wingers like Neto, Jadon Sancho and Noni Madueke, Sterling fell down the pecking order.
It’s unlikely he has a future at Stamford Bridge, but with a wealth of experience and 82 England caps, there’s every chance Sterling can reinvent himself as part of an Arsenal side challenging City for the title.
Ben Chilwell
Last season’s vice-captain, Chilwell, was initially frozen out by Maresca in preseason before surprisingly being added into Chelsea’s Premier League squad despite seeing limited minutes so far.
The left-back will have to use the cup competitions in order to get time on the pitch, but it’s likely he will be looking for an exit strategy come the January transfer window.
Chilwell signed for £45 million from Leicester in 2020 and won the Champions League in his first season, but could be set for a new challenge, with the likes of Crystal Palace, Ipswich Town and Brentford reportedly interested in the 27-year-old.
Axel Disasi
A player who looked to have so much promise when he signed for Chelsea last summer, Axel Disasi has had a challenging summer under Maresca, with the Italian preferring Tosin Adarabioyo, Levi Colwill and Wesley Fofana as his centre-backs.
When you throw in Benoit Badiashile and Renato Veiga too, it’s hard to see where the Frenchman fits in. Disasi impressed under Mauricio Pochettino and scored on his Chelsea debut against Liverpool but has since become more error-prone and could require a change of scenery to get his career back on track.