Enzo Maresca: Chelsea manager issues damning verdict on unwanted Blues stars | OneFootball

World champions take on Crystal Palace in next week’s league opener

Decisions to make: Enzo Maresca

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Enzo Maresca has plunged his unwanted Chelsea stars further into the cold with a brutal remark.

He has already allowed Joao Felix, Djordje Petrovic, Noni Madueke, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, and Kepa Arrizabalga depart among others.

The Blues omitted nine names from their first-team squad list, including the likes of Ben Chilwell, Raheem Sterling, and Carney Chukwuemeka.

The squad returned to training earlier this week ahead of two friendlies in three days, against Bayer Leverkusen and AC Milan.

In his pre-match press conference ahead of the clash against Erik ten Hag’s Leverkusen, Maresca said that he did not “pay attention” to the players he had earmarked for an exit.

He even admitted that he learned of one departure because his press officer had just told him.

"The situation, I think, is quite clear. They are training, I guess they are waiting for a solution," said Maresca of those he deems surplus to requirements.

"But when they leave, it's just the club that texts me or calls me, even Tom [media officer], he just mentioned to me that Lesley [Ugochukwu] joined Burnley.

"I have this kind of news from him or from the club because I don't pay attention to the ones that need to leave. I just focus on how we prepare the session, how we can win games.

"For sure, it's much better to work with 25 players than the biggest number, no doubt. At this moment, we are working with the ones that we want."

Ugochukwu’s £20million move to Burnley will make the Frenchman the second Chelsea player to move to Turf Moor, after Bashir Humphreys made the switch earlier this summer.

Striker Armanda Broja is expected to join them, while Dewsbury-Hall’s move to Everton for £25m was confirmed on Wednesday.