Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca insists there is no pressure from the club’s owners to finish in the top four in the Premier League this season.
The Italian took over in the summer following the departure of Mauricio Pochettino, becoming the club’s sixth permanent manager in the last six years.
Another close-season of squad strengthening has increased expectations around Stamford Bridge but Maresca is confident he will be given time to build a competitive team.
Speaking ahead of tomorrow’s trip across London to West Ham, the former Leicester City boss said: “I said already, nobody, not the owners nor the sporting directors, have mentioned that I have to finish in the top four.
“I think this is a good squad. But I also said that in the last two years, finishing 12th and 6th, to improve is not automatic.
“You need progress. I think the squad is good but the only way to reach some important target like top four is to focus on game after game.”
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Maresca confident Mudryk will come good
Maresca’s long-term vision was typified by his answer to a question about Mykhailo Mudryk. The Ukraine winger, who signed for Chelsea for £62million last year, was this week linked with an exit in the January transfer window, but Maresca is confident the 23-year-old will come good.
“The training sessions are the only way to improve players,” he said. “We try to improve all of them every day, with some of them doing some extra sessions at the end. Micha is one of them.
“At this moment he is not playing, but that doesn’t mean he is not going to play in the future.”
The FIVE goals against the Hammers, the last time we faced them. 🎯🙌 pic.twitter.com/6xQ9JoBWUF
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) September 20, 2024
Sancho impresses
Mudryk is likely to fall further down the pecking order following the signing of Jadon Sancho, who impressed off the bench on his debut in the 1-0 win at Bournemouth last weekend.
“I said it last week. Since he arrived here, he is working hard, on the ball and off the ball,” Maresca said of the former Manchester United and Borussia Dortmund winger. “We used the international break to focus a little bit more on him. He is doing well.”
There was mixed news on the injury front for Chelsea with Reece James’ comeback from a hamstring injury delayed – and no fixed date for his return – while Malo Gusto will also miss the trip to the London Stadium.
Midfielders Enzo Fernandez and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall are available, though.
