London (AFP)
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca insists he is not managing a “chaotic” squad after the London club made more signings.
Portuguese Joao Felix has signed a seven-year contract at Stamford Bridge, after returning from Atletico Madrid.
The 24-year-old Portuguese played for Chelsea in the second half of the 2022-23 season, making a total of 20 appearances, including 16 in the Premier League, before returning to Atletico, who loaned him back to local rivals Barcelona, where he played last season.
Atletico acquired Felix in the summer of 2019 from Benfica for an estimated €126 million, making him the fourth most expensive transfer in football history.
As with every summer, Chelsea are making a lot of deals and long-term contracts, a situation that has forced new coach Maresca to make difficult choices, including not using winger Raheem Sterling last Sunday in the 2-0 defeat to Manchester City in the opening match of the English Premier League, which raised eyebrows.
The manager confirmed that Sterling and Ben Chilwell are not in his plans for this season.
Maresca explained that the criticism of Chelsea’s activity in the transfer market is unfair.
The Italian coach said, “I don’t work with 42 players, but with 21 players in first-team training.”
“It’s not as chaotic as it looks from the outside. Other players can get 20-year contracts. That’s not my point of view. I don’t care,” he added.
“At the moment, they are training separately from the team, and as I said, the situation with both of them is quite clear. We have a big squad, and for me it is impossible to give everyone minutes, so if they are looking for minutes, maybe it is better for them to leave. If they do not leave, they have a contract here, they are Chelsea players.”
Maresca said about Felix’s return: “He is a good and talented player, and the club has known him for two years. He can play in different positions with us.”
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