Chelsea Injury Update: Chelsea Forward Depth Tested as Maresca Comments on Jackson and Guiu | OneFootball

Injury Concerns for Chelsea’s Strikers

Enzo Maresca has moved to dispel concerns over Marc Guiu and Nicolas Jackson after both forwards suffered injury scares during Chelsea’s 2-1 victory over West Ham.

Jackson, a crucial part of Maresca’s attacking setup, suffered a scare in the first half after slipping awkwardly and clutching his hamstring. Despite receiving treatment, he soldiered on but was eventually substituted for Guiu early in the second half. However, Guiu himself was seen limping down the tunnel at full-time, raising concerns over the depth of Chelsea’s centre-forward options.

Photo: IMAGO

Maresca’s Verdict on Fitness

After the match, Maresca offered reassurances regarding the fitness of his two strikers.

“Nico and Marc, to be honest, they both said to me that they’re okay, so hopefully neither of them are injured,” he stated.

The Chelsea boss will be hoping both players recover swiftly, especially with a congested fixture list on the horizon.

Transfer Deadline Drama

Off the pitch, it was a frantic deadline day for Chelsea, with several players departing on loan. Carney Chukwuemeka’s move to Borussia Dortmund was formally announced before kick-off, but other expected exits, including Joao Felix, Ben Chilwell, and Axel Disasi, remained unresolved as the 11pm deadline approached.

Despite clubs having until 1am to finalise deals—provided a deal sheet was submitted in time—Maresca could not confirm any further updates.

“To be honest, I was just focused on the game and I’m still thinking about the game,” he admitted. “The sporting directors are here, the chairman and we sit and we see all the things that happen. But everything that happened was planned from me, from the club, altogether.”

Attacking Depth Moving Forward

While Felix appears Milan-bound on loan and Mykhailo Mudryk remains unavailable due to suspension following a failed drugs test, Chelsea’s attacking depth is being tested.

Maresca, however, remains unfazed, citing Tyrique George as a potential solution. “We have Tyrique, who is a very good profile, and probably we can find some different solutions,” he explained. “In the last half-an-hour we played with Marc Cucurella higher, with Christopher Nkunku inside. We’ll try to find different solutions.”

With limited reinforcements arriving in January, Chelsea’s ability to adapt tactically under Maresca will be key in the coming months.