Enzo Maresca reveals new transfer ‘priority’ after Chelsea pre-season victory | Football

Enzo Maresca hinted that Chelsea will dip back into the transfer market after the serious injury sustained by defender Levi Colwill.

Colwill played a crucial role in Maresca’s first season, but will miss the majority of the upcoming campaign after sustaining an anterior cruciate ligament injury on the first day of Chelsea’s pre-season.

The Blues have already signed centre-back Jorrel Hato from Ajax and have Wesley Fofana returning to first-team training after his lengthy spell on the treatment table.

But despite that, Maresca suggested that Chelsea will make it a priority to replenish their defensive options before the end of the window in the wake of Colwill’s injury.

‘It’s a priority for me, yes, because Levi is a fantastic player,’ Maresca told Channel 5 after Chelsea’s 2-0 pre-season win against Bayern Leverkusen when asked if the club would move to bring in cover for Colwill.

‘What we achieved last season is because of him also. I love him, I’m going to miss him. We are trying also to find different solutions.’

Pressed again if Chelsea planned to sign another centre-back before the end of the window, Maresca responded: ‘We’ll see, we’ll see.’

While Colwill played no part on Friday, it was an otherwise positive start to Chelsea’s shortened pre-season action as they coasted to victory against an poor Leverkusen.

Estevao marked his Chelsea debut in style when the Brazilian tucked home a rebound for his first goal for the club in the first half.

And his fellow countryman Joao Pedro was on hand in the closing stages of the second half to ensure victory with an emphatic finish into the bottom corner.

‘I’m very happy with the performance especially as we have trained just three or four days together,’ Maresca added.

‘We don’t have time for pre-season. We have another game on Sunday.

‘Not all of the players are going to be happy always. If they don’t play, they’re not happy.

‘But they have to understand that they are all good – 22, 23, 24 players – and they have to understand that there will be many rotations.”

Asked about Estevao’s impressive performance, the Italian added: ‘He’s very, very young.

‘For sure, as I said yesterday, he is going to help the team. He’s a fantastic player.’

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