Chelsea face uphill challenge in quest to offload 28-year-old star frozen out by Enzo Maresca: Reports
Chelsea are reportedly facing a struggle to sell defender Ben Chilwell. According to The Sun, finding a destination for the 28-year-old is proving to be difficult for the Blues as they look for potential takers in the winter transfer window.
The left-back's high wages are believed to be a major stumbling point in talks. He is reportedly earning around £200,000 a week, last signing an extension in the summer of 2023. His current deal with the London side runs until the summer of 2027.
Further, Chilwell has also suffered from injury issues regularly. The 28-year-old missed almost the entirety of the previous campaign, making just 21 appearances under Mauricio Pochettino. This summer, he was relegated to Chelsea's list of players that new manager Enzo Maresca decided he would not be using. He has featured just once in an official game, coming off the bench in a Carabao Cup tie against Barrow.
The defender originally joined the Blues in 2020 from Leicester City for a fee of £50 million. He played a key role as the side went on to win the Champions League in 2021 under the management of Thomas Tuchel.
Enzo Fernandez opens up on playing alongside Chelsea star
Chelsea star Enzo Fernandez was full of praise for his fellow midfielder Moises Caicedo. The Argentinian opened up on how he convinced the Ecuadorian to join the Blues and about their relationship.
He said (via Sky Sports):
"Sharing the pitch with Moi is incredible. I insisted a lot that he came to Chelsea when the club went to sign him. Now he's here, you can see he's not a normal player."
"He is a great person as well and he brings us a lot as a team and as a team-mate. We are getting on very well. Every day we understand each other more. He is an exceptional player. I hope to share many years with him on the pitch here at Chelsea," Fernandez added.
The midfield duo were both big-money signings, costing over £100 million each as the Blues underwent a massive squad revamp. Overcoming difficult stints to life at Stamford Bridge, they have both gone on to perform excellently under Enzo Maresca.
Caicedo and Fernandez have been particularly influential as Chelsea fly high in the Premier League, finding themselves second in the table. They are four points off Liverpool and could be in the thick of the title race come May.
