Enzo Maresca is set to become the new manager of Chelsea.
The Leicester City boss is set to be announced as the new head coach at Stamford Bridge in due course, and once he arrives, he has plenty of work to do.
Indeed, Maresca has to analyse his squad and utilise the transfer market to patch the weaknesses in this side.
The Chelsea midfield hasn’t been great this season, but according to Ben Jacobs, speaking on the London is Blue Podcast, there is one midfielder at Chelsea that Maresca already loves.
Enzo Maresca loves Romeo Lavia
According to Jacobs, Maresca is a big fan of Romeo Lavia having worked with him in the youth ranks at Manchester City.
“His squad knowledge also impressed. He has a pre-existing relationship with Romeo Lavia and Cole Palmer, that is very useful,” Jacobs said,
“It’s hard to put the Chelsea players into the 4-3-3 actually. If you go in midfield and decide it’s Fernandez and Caicedo, well, he knows Lavia and he loves Lavia, and if Connor Gallagher stays then everyone else, including Cole Palmer has to move forwards.
Romeo Lavia could have a big season
This is interesting to hear, and hopefully, it points towards Lavia having a big season at Chelsea.
The Belgian never really got going at Stamford Bridge after his £60m move from Southampton last summer.
He spent basically the whole season sidelined with injury, and now, he’ll surely be raring to go and create a legacy for himself in west London.
The fact that Maresca is coming in bodes well for Lavia, and we could well see him become a first-choice midfield option before too long.
Lavia is certainly a player to keep an eye on heading into next season and he could be the breakout star at Chelsea under Maresca.