Enzo Maresca could give a fresh start to four players when he joins Chelsea (Image: Getty)
Incoming Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca might afford a clean slate to several Blues stars who spent last season exiled by Mauricio Pochettino. Several players were loaned out last term as they did not feature as part of Pochettino’s plans. Express Sport looks at who could be given a new lease of life under Maresca, who is widely expected to be appointed from Leicester.
Romelu Lukaku
There will be many football fans who forget Romelu Lukaku is even contracted to Chelsea. Signed in a then club-record £97.5m deal from Inter Milan in 2021, the Belgian’s second spell at Stamford Bridge did not go to plan and he has spent the last two campaigns out on loan.
He struck 21 goals for Roma last term, following a season in which he bagged 14 times for Inter Milan. Now 31, Lukaku has shown he can still perform at the elite level and reminded Premier League fans of his ability with a fantastic performance for Belgium against England in March.
Nicolas Jackson’s inconsistency last season provided a source of frustration for some Chelsea supporters, despite his 14 Premier League goals. Lukaku could remain to provide an arm round the shoulder of the Senegal international.
If keeping Lukaku is impossible, then Maresca will surely want to retain Armando Broja. The Albanian forward has struggled for game time since he suffered a horror knee injury towards the end of 2022.
Jackson’s arrival saw the Chelsea academy graduate starved of minutes in the first half of the campaign. He then spent the second half of the season on loan at West London neighbours Fulham.
The 22-year-old did not start a game for the Cottagers and failed to score. He will be desperate to kickstart his career at Chelsea under a new manager.
Armando Broja struggled on loan at Fulham last year but may hope for a Chelsea reprieve (Image: Getty)
Ian Maatsen
Ian Maatsen looked all but set to leave Chelsea this summer but Maresca may decide to keep the defender. Maatsen has excelled on loan at Borussia Dortmund this season and has helped them reach the Champions League final.
It seemed a strange decision to allow the 22-year-old to leave, especially as Chelsea’s left-backs struggled for fitness and consistent form.
Maresca likes to invert one of his full-backs, with Richardo Pereira performing the role for Leicester. While Maatsen has performed well as a marauding wing-back at Dortmund, he has also played well when inverted during his career.
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Ian Maatsen has excelled at Borussia Dortmund on loan from Chelsea (Image: Getty)
Kepa Arrizabalaga
Pochettino opted for new goalkeepers in Robert Sanchez and Djordje Petrovic last season, with the latter winning the No. 1 role in the second half of the season. Kepa Arrizabalaga spent the season on loan at Real Madrid but he made just 14 La Liga appearances.
Arrizabalaga will return to Chelsea this summer and may be reintegrated into the Blues’ senior squad if Maresca wants a goalkeeper upgrade. The Spaniard’s return could save Chelsea millions on a new signing.
