Chelsea’s stance on selling Ben Chilwell to Man Utd as Maresca makes feelings clear

There have been rumours that the full-back for the Blues could be leaving Stamford Bridge during the summer this year.

It has been reported that Chelsea are ready to take into consideration offers for the defender Ben Chilwell as Enzo Maresca continues to restructure his squad during the summer.

During his time at Chelsea, the wing-back has participated in 106 matches across all competitions, contributed nine goals, and was an integral part of the team’s victory in the Champions League in the 2020-21 season.

However, Chilwell has been plagued by injury concerns during his tenure at Stamford Bridge. During the 2023-24 season, he was only able to play in 13 Premier League games due to issues with his knee and hamstring.

It has been reported by The Athletic that Chelsea are willing to transfer Chilwell “for the right price” as concerns are raised on the degree to which he is compatible with Maresca’s defensive style of play. An article published in the Daily Mail asserts that Manchester United is keeping a close eye on the situation.

Following the signing of a new deal in 2022 that remains in effect until 2027 and includes a wage increase that brings Chilwell’s weekly salary to £200,000, he is now considered to be one of the biggest earners at Stamford Bridge.

Given his pay expectations and the amount of money Chelsea would ask for the England international, it is highly likely that any potential deal with a club that is not among the top clubs in Europe will be hampered by these two factors.

In the year 2020, when Frank Lampard was in command of the club, the Blues paid a fee of fifty million pounds to acquire the left-back from Leicester City. Since then, he has gone on to become an important character in the club’s recent history.

Nevertheless, his position has been in jeopardy ever since Marc Cucurella joined from Brighton in August 2022 in a trade of £62 million. Mauricio Pochettino favoured the Spaniard at the conclusion of the previous season, which added to the pressure on his position.

Although Maresca has stated that he is still looking for a place for Chilwell in his team, it is possible that this will also be the case under his leadership. Chilwell, who has not yet made a start under the new manager, has been replaced by Malo Gusto, who has been given the opportunity to try out the inverted left-back position during the preseason.