‘Probably going to leave’: Manager provides candid admission over one of Utd’s ‘top’ transfer targets

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·11 de enero de 2025

‘Probably going to leave’: Manager provides candid admission over one of Utd’s ‘top’ transfer targets

Enzo Maresca has openly admitted that one of his players, previously deemed a ‘top transfer target’ for Manchester United, will ‘probably’ leave Chelsea before the February 3 deadline.

The Blue in question, much to United fans’ dismay, is Ben Chilwell, who has been almost entirely exiled from the first team since Maresca took the reins last summer.

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Chilwell has featured for a total of 45 minutes this campaign after coming off the bench in the third round of the League Cup to see out a 5-0 win for Chelsea at home. In the Premier League and the Conference League, he has not even made a matchday squad.

Alas, it’s safe to say that the 28-year-old holds no value to Maresca, who has now opened the door for him to seal his desired transfer away mid-season.

“For him (Chilwell), in this moment, is also thinking he is probably going to leave,” Maresca told reporters ahead of Chelsea’s FA Cup clash with Morecambe, via Sky Sports. “It’s better to avoid using him, to avoid that kind of situation: injury or these kinds of things. So the plan is not to use Ben tomorrow.”

United’s interest in Chilwell has always been bizarre

Chilwell was previously of interest to Erik ten Hag. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

Whether United will revive their interest remains to be seen, but it’s a move that wouldn’t really make much sense. Chilwell was initially being targeted due to Luke Shaw’s continued absences, yet has a similar injury record to his England counterpart.

Similarly, the Reds were most recently linked before Amorim had taken charge, meaning it’s highly unlikely the new boss would view Chilwell as an ideal option to add to his ranks for the second half of the season.

Other targets to occupy the left wing-back position are believed to be Milos Kerkez, Nuno Mendes, Alvaro Carreras and Alphonso Davies, although the latter is reportedly leaning towards a new deal with Bayern Munich as opposed to leaving the club as a free agent in June.