Enzo Maresca explains axing Chelsea summer signing after just three Premier League starts

Enzo Maresca has opened up connected his determination to authorisation Joao Felix’s indebtedness determination to AC Milan conscionable six months aft helium rejoined Chelsea.

The Portugal planetary has endured thing of a nomadic vocation having already represented the likes of Benfica, Atletico Madrid and Barcelona.

Felix returned to westbound London successful the summertime having spent six months astatine Stamford Bridge connected indebtedness 2 years agone erstwhile Graham Potter was successful charge, anterior to his sacking and Frank Lampard’s interim tenure.

The 25-year-old had hoped to cement a spot successful Maresca’s plans but helium was astir instantly reduced to a bit-part role.

Although helium made 21 appearances during the archetypal fractional of the campaign, helium started lone 3 Premier League matcheswith his past coming Ipswich connected December 30.

Despite their £45million investment, Felix volition walk the remainder of the run astatine Milan and helium made his debut against Roma earlier his week.

‘Nothing happened,’ insisted Maresca, speaking up of this weekend’s FA Cup necktie against Brighton.

‘Simply, I said galore times, that the players bid each time and they privation to play each the games.

‘Unfortunately, conscionable 11 play each the games and we determine altogether that that it was a bully enactment to leave.

‘He ne'er complained. He has been precise bully with us, professional. Just a substance of my decision.

‘The crushed wherefore is due to the fact that we request antiaircraft balance. When you person truthful galore attacking players, sometimes you tin concede a modulation oregon a extremity and I don’t similar that.’

Maresca, meanwhile, revealed Marc Guiu suffered a semipermanent wounded successful Chelsea’s 2-1 Premier League triumph implicit West Ham connected Monday.

The 19-year-old striker, who came connected for Nicolas Jackson astatine Stamford Bridge, hobbled disconnected astatine full-time aft Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s ain extremity helped the Blues travel from down to seal 3 points.

Maresca revealed the Spaniard, who joined from Barcelona successful the summer, is present a semipermanent interest alongside the likes of Romeo Lavia and Wesley Fofana.

He said: ‘With Marc it’s a atrocious injury. It doesn’t look similar a abbreviated wounded and precisely however agelong I don’t know. Probably weeks oregon months.”

Nine-goal Jackson went disconnected with a sound connected Monday but the grade of his wounded is thought to beryllium minor.

The lack of Guiu and Jackson leaves Maresca with Christopher Nkunku arsenic Chelsea’s lone elder striker enactment up of their travel to the Amex Stadium.

‘It could beryllium a hazard but it doesn’t look long-term,’ Maresca added erstwhile asked astir Jackson’s fittingness status.

‘It doesn’t look similar a agelong injury, precisely however agelong we don’t know. Lavia is inactive a agelong mode to go.”

Out-of-favour Nkunku gained minutes disconnected the seat against West Ham aft a January model of reports linking him distant from Stamford Bridge.

With caller injuries and the indebtedness of Joao Felix to AC Milan, accrued Premier League minutes for the French guardant volition beryllium much apt according to Maresca.

‘For sure,’ the manager said erstwhile questioned if Nkunku is to play more. ‘Against West Ham helium played 30 minutes and from present connected helium tin get much minutes and tin assistance us.

‘I and the nine was definite that Christopher was 1 of the players who we intended to keep.’

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