Ben Chilwell’s future at Chelsea is in jeopardy just days before the new Premier League season begins, with reports indicating that the full-back is weighing his options.
Chilwell joined the Blues from Leicester in a £50m deal four years ago, but he has struggled to win over some fans, who have called for him to be sold this summer.
Chelsea have been among Europe’s biggest spenders in the transfer window, with new manager Enzo Maresca receiving £200m worth of new signings.
As the club continue to overhaul its squad, there is uncertainty about which players will be sold.
Chilwell, who participated in Chelsea’s pre-season tour of the United States, now faces the possibility of needing to find a new club, with the Blues reportedly open to offers for him, according to talkSPORT.
Chilwell is currently on the fringes of Maresca’s plans and may not be included in Chelsea’s Premier League squad for the upcoming season.
The 27-year-old made only 13 Premier League appearances last season and appears to have fallen further down the pecking order, especially after Marc Cucurella’s standout performances for Spain at Euro 2024.
The influx of new players at Stamford Bridge has heightened the need to generate additional funds through player sales, with those on the periphery of the squad being encouraged to leave.
Similarly, Chilwell is facing uncertainty regarding his future.
Despite signing a new contract extension with Chelsea last year, which runs for another three years, Chilwell now finds himself in a position where he may need to make a crucial decision about his future.
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has described Chilwell’s situation as ‘delicate’ during pre-season, further complicating the player’s standing at the club.
“His situation is a bit delicate in terms of we are trying to find a solution for him in terms of position,” Maresca said.
“But he probably needs a bit of time.
“Delicate in terms of finding the right position for him.
“We want players that can perform 100 per cent and for sure in these two or three weeks, Malo (Gusto) and Reece (James) can both do the work required of them and both finish with more assists or more dangerous in the way they were being used in the past because in that position they are good enough to make last passes because their quality, they are both very good.”
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