'We want him here' - Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca offers big transfer update

This time, though, it might be that there are more outs than ins as the Blues look to get their house in order and trim their numbers down

The Blues have made 36 signings since Todd Boehly took over control of the club in 2022.

And while those purchases final bear fruit as they mount an outsider's run at the Premier League title, sometimes something has to give.

Carney Chukwuemeka and Ben Chilwell are already set to leave Stamford Bridge as they fell down the pecking order in west London.

And Maresca believes all those players who want to leave should do so if they are unhappy at the club - although he maintains it's not at the forefront of his mind.

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He said: "In this moment, the focus is on the Fulham game. We aren't thinking about players who want to leave. In case this happens, we are going to see.

"But in this moment we are not thinking this player has to leave or that player. We are just thinking how to win games.

"Then, if they knock on the door and they want to leave, I'm not going to say: 'No, no you have to stay here, 100 per cent'. If they want to leave, the best thing for everyone is that the players who aren't happy are going to leave."

Christopher Nkunku has also been linked with a move away having only started two Premier League games.

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That's despite 12 goals in all competitions as he impressed in the cups, including the Europa Conference League.

But Maresca isn't ready to allow the France international to leave just yet.

"We like Christo and we want him here," He said.

"There will always be players that are not happy and some that will ask to leave in January. I am not sure if they will be Christo's or another player's case. We want to keep them here because we are happy with them here."

Meanwhile, despite the Blues being second in the Premier League table at Christmas - and just two games away from the mid-point of the campaign - Maresca remains coy on a title charge.

"I think for sure reality says we're second and you're not second after four five games when table is not quite the real one.

"The table reflects the teams where they are. But Liverpool are doing fantastic since the first day, probably the squad they have already lived that kind of moment, winning trophies.

"I said last year when Liverpool faced Chelsea in the Carabao Cup final, I saw the amount of finals Liverpool players played and the Chelsea ones and there was a huge difference. This shows the experience you need to be in that race."

And Maresca is also tipping Man City to be challengers, despite their horrendous run of form of late.

He added: "I think Man City at the end will be there. They are in a moment that never happened before. They don't have enough players in this moment, it's a very bad situation for them."

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