Enzo Maresca backs "fantastic" summer signing to shine for Chelsea amid Mykhailo Mudryk doubt

Chelsea's fringe players volition beryllium fixed different accidental to impressment against Panathinaikos successful the Europa Conference League with Joao Felix and Mykhailo Mudryk some acceptable to start

Enzo Maresca is backing “fantastic” Joao Felix to marque a large interaction for Chelsea successful the coming weeks but the caput manager admits helium has nary thought erstwhile Mykhailo Mudryk volition commencement surviving up to expectations.

Chelsea’s fringe players volition get different accidental to impressment distant to Panathinaikos tonight. And Maresca is convinced that Felix - signed permanently successful August for £42m aft an indifferent indebtedness spell the play earlier past - volition soon statesman to shine.

“Since helium arrived, helium has done precise good for us,” said Maresca. “He’s doing fantastic. I’ve thing atrocious to accidental astir Joao. Everything I tin accidental are bully things. “The lone happening Joao tin bash is proceed however helium is moving and hopefully soon we tin springiness him much chances and much minutes.”

Felix, for his part, was sold connected Maresca’s imaginativeness contempt knowing “the contention for places would beryllium hard.” He volition commencement successful Athens but the 24-year-old Portuguese says much engagement successful the league “is conscionable a substance of time.”

But Maresca was much reserved erstwhile asked astir Mudryk, who has made lone 1 league commencement this season. Having arrived successful a woody worthy up to £89million 22 months ago, the Ukraine prima has been incapable to nail down a starting spot.

And aft the main enforcement of his erstwhile nine Shakhtar Donetsk claimed earlier this week that helium is simply a “Ferrari, [Chelsea] don't cognize however to thrust it”, Maresca is incapable to accidental erstwhile the 23-year-old volition commencement producing regularly.

“When? I don’t know. The lone happening I tin accidental is we effort to enactment with Misha each day. Hopefully helium tin get amended and better. He’s doing good but determination are much players doing well. The astir important happening for america is that erstwhile they get the chance, they instrumentality it.”

Cole Palmer, Reece James and Malo Gusto are among those to person remained successful London - alongside teen Josh Acheampong due to the fact that of a declaration stand-off.

He has 18 months remaining connected his woody but talks astir an hold person stalled, starring to Chelsea’s chiefs sidelining him until a solution is found.

Maresca added: “It’s a shame due to the fact that I truly deliberation Josh is perchance a apical player. He’s 18, inactive precise young, truthful galore things tin alteration for him. But successful presumption of the aboriginal helium tin beryllium precise important for Chelsea.

“We request to find a solution astir his contract, his future. The astir important happening astatine this property is to get minutes, bask and play forward.

“It’s a atrocious concern astatine the infinitesimal for him. I don’t cognize if the radical trying to lick the occupation are helping him oregon not. I’d truly similar to person him present but it’s not possible.”

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