The whispers this week are that Ben Chilwell could be back in Chelsea’s first team plans after re-joining training with the main squad, but according to the Sun even that would be a temporary solution.
Chelsea’s sporting directors have decided Chilwell is surplus to requirements and both Ipswich and Crystal Palace are apparently considering a January bid for the England international.
Chilwell has been named in the Blues’ Premier League squad, presumably just for emergency cover, but his prospects of playing otherwise are minimal.
Enzo Maresca has long settled on Marc Cucurella as his first choice and Renato Veiga as his second choice. We even think later in the season we could see Malo Gusto play on the left, when Reece James is fit to play on the right again.
In any case, Chilwell faces a tall order getting any minutes at all, and a January move looks likely. Although given the club weren’t able to shift him all summer despite having him very obviously up for sale, it’s unclear why the winter window would produce any different results. Perhaps it will simply be a case of the club lowering their demands.
Ben Chilwell playing for England.
It looks set to be an ignominious end to his Chelsea spell for the popular left back, who played a key role in our last period of sustained success, culminating in a Champions League win under Thomas Tuchel. Like so many other members of that team, he’s set to be ushered out of a back door as soon as the price is right.
Maresca likes full backs who can come inside and play in midfield when his team has the ball rather than dashing around on the overlap, a valid tactical reason that Chilwell isn’t a fit.
