Chelsea's Ben Chilwell to Seek More Playing Time
- Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca gives green light for Ben Chilwell's departure.
- Chilwell is looking to leave Chelsea for more opportunities on the field.
- Ben Chilwell may be on his way out of Stamford Bridge to secure regular playing time.
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has informed left-back Ben Chilwell that he is free to leave the club, following a lack of playing time during pre-season. The 27-year-old has only accumulated 64 minutes on the pitch and was an unused substitute in the recent 1-1 friendly against Inter Milan. Maresca expressed concern over Chilwell's situation, stating, "When you train every day and you don't get minutes, it's not good for them and it's not good for me because I need to make decisions." Chilwell's position at Chelsea has been further complicated by the emergence of Marc Cucurella, who has established himself as the starting left-back under Mauricio Pochettino. Despite Chilwell's absence from the final three pre-season matches, the club has not yet placed him in the so-called 'bomb squad'—a group of players excluded from first-team activities. However, Chelsea is reportedly open to offers for the player as the transfer window remains active. In addition to Chilwell's situation, Maresca declined to comment on transfer speculation surrounding Victor Osimhen and Joao Felix, emphasizing that they are not Chelsea players. The club is currently in negotiations with Atletico Madrid regarding Felix, with the outcome potentially impacting Conor Gallagher's future at Chelsea. If a deal for Felix falls through, Gallagher's transfer could collapse, leaving the club at risk of losing him for free next summer, which may have financial fair play implications.