There’s a strong belief at Chelsea that one of their forgotten players will emerge as a key figure under Enzo Maresca next season.
Leicester City boss Enzo Maresca, 44, is widely tipped in the media as the incoming manager at Stamford Bridge this summer.
The Telegraph reports that Chelsea will soon officially announce Maresca as their new head coach on a five-year deal and that he’s already asked for three signings.
Aside from a few players he’s previously crossed paths with, Maresca will be working with a Chelsea squad that is brand new to him. It’ll be his first position as a senior manager in the Premier League, too.
The Leicester coach previously worked with Romeo Lavia and Cole Palmer in Manchester City’s youth team, plus he had Cesare Casadei on loan for the first half of last season.
Chelsea player will be in Enzo Maresca’s best XI
Well-respected journalist Simon Phillips has reported via Substack on Thursday that Chelsea’s Lavia could be a big winner from Maresca’s appointment.
He’s explained that Joe Shields, Chelsea’s co-director of recruitment and talent, massively rates Blues midfielder Lavia and sees him on the same level as Palmer.
It is understood that the club have very high expectations of the 20-year-old Belgian youngster, who only played one game throughout the whole of last season down to injury.
Phillips adds that the belief is Lavia will thrive in Maresca’s XI, playing as the main deep-lying playmaker at the base of midfield.
Romeo Lavia suits Harry Winks position
A lot of Leicester’s success during their title-winning year in the Championship was built around a midfield trio of Harry Winks, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Wilfred Ndidi. In particular, Winks sat as the base of the midfield knitting everything together from deeper pockets.
The Chelsea Chronicle definitely thinks Lavia’s got the profile to be effective as a lone No 6 in and out of possession. If he’s the deepest in the midfield, perhaps Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo could play just in front.
Of course, the glaring talking point is that Lavia’s missed almost a whole season through injury since last summer’s arrival from Southampton.
Chelsea fans can be forgiven for forgetting about someone who’s played once for them so far, but it sounds like Maresca may have a midfield general if he can stay fit.