Chelsea hand Enzo Maresca final £176m transfer present to complete dream squad

Taking Enzo Maresca’s preferred Chelsea starting formation as a 4-2-3-1, which does not really see the light of day, Moises Caicedo played 97.9 per cent of Premier League minutes available to one of the two deeper midfielders. Cole Palmer carried the load of 93.3 per cent of those to the No.10.

Although Maresca’s system is fluid and often forms something approaching a 3-2-5 when in possession – which, again, shifts depending on opponent and game state – this rough estimation shows just how central to the team these two were. They have been Chelsea’s best two players for the past two years, and it shows in their minutes.

Levi Colwill, left to be the main left-sided centre-back, managed a fraction less than Palmer. Marc Cucurella clocked just under 3,000 minutes (not counting stoppage time) and only missed two games. One was through suspension.

Enzo Fernandez and Robert Sanchez are the other players to end the league season with more than 2,500 minutes. In total, these are the only five to start 30 matches.

Maresca’s squad, which started out so big that he swapped out entire XIs for midweek Conference League and Carabao Cup matches, was swiftly cut down. January exits for Joao Felix and Renato Veiga, both six months after joining, were added to the sale of Cesare Casadei and loan for Axel Disasi.

Chelsea’s Conference League XI, or B-team, was disbanded and a mixture of rotation and youth involvement got things through in 2025. Those who were indispensable shine clearly here.

In total, 11 players ended with at least 30 appearances. Only Malo Gusto never tied down a regular starting spot. Almost two-thirds of his games came from the bench. Jadon Sancho had a similar share.

Injuries for Reece James and Wesley Fofana either side of Christmas resulted in a significant drop in their minutes. There is little arguing that they would both make a strongest XI when available.

The issue for Maresca, as was the case with Romeo Lavia as well, is that behind his best players, Chelsea did not have enough quality. Felix, Disasi, Casadei, and Veiga were simply not trusted with Premier League duty.

Once they left and injuries hit – Nicolas Jackson and Noni Madueke were out for over a month in February, right after the transfer window, Fofana was ruled out for the season – there was nowhere to turn. Fudged attacks of Pedro Neto (still yet to hit form) and Christopher Nkunku with Sancho were ineffective and blunt.

Lavia’s extended absences left Caicedo and Fernandez to do all of the running. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall was peripheral. Marc Guiu, the only natural striker outside of Jackson, picked up an injury at a bad time but had hardly demonstrated he was ready to play at the required level to make an impact.

Even Nkunku, who was embarrassingly too good for the Conference League, did not make much of a scratch at getting into Maresca’s main XI until injuries left no other choice. He could easily have gone in January as Chelsea debated buying alternatives, including Jamie Gittens and Alejandro Garnacho at that stage.

They were already looking at Liam Delap as well but knew a deal was going to be far more expensive than his £30million relegation clause had him almost certain to be available for in the summer. Decisions were made not to recall Lesley Ugochukwu or Andrey Santos as midfield reinforcement.

Chelsea slumped their way through four months, relinquishing any advantage over their top four/five rivals that had been built over the impressive October to December run. It took a determined finish to get across the line, where Maresca bumped up his demand for control and suffocated (bored) opponents with possession to avoid chasing around in basketball matches.

In 18 league matches in 2025, they won only three of those by more than one goal. The teams they beat were Wolves (17th at the time, finished 16th), Southampton (bottom and bottom again), and a weakened Liverpool the week after their title victory.

Compared to the first half of the season, it became a real slog. Compared to the five two-goal plus wins in the opening 14 games, it was three from 24 after December 5. Maresca’s squad management was under fire and his players wilted.

It followed a similar picture to Maresca’s year at Leicester City. The team dragged themselves to the close eventually, capping off a successful season that was not without its major hiccups and flashpoints.

Maresca will be under pressure to continue the form of late April into May and most of the Club World Cup, right from the start. That will be a challenge given the infringement on his summer that the Club World Cup has, but Chelsea have done effective work to make his squad stronger.

There may not be many spots available in the best starting XI, but with a new striker and midfielder arriving, two of the shallowest areas of the pitch have been bolstered. Whether Liam Delap replaces Nicolas Jackson or not – and there is a very real feeling that he doesn’t – Chelsea will have access to two natural senior strikers.

That has not been something afforded to Maresca or Mauricio Pochettino before him. The pair have their faults but together, can at minimum be a physical test for opposing teams, offering high-intensity pressing and runs in behind to stretch the game.

That was missing last year. When Jackson tired, the alternative was either not available or not up to standard. It won’t be a problem in 2025/26, especially with the added profile of Joao Pedro.

Then, in midfield, there is plenty to go at. Santos and Dario Essugo provide cover and rotation for Caicedo and Fernandez with Lavia also in the mix. That is a healthy and versatile group that gives Maresca lots of tactical opportunities.

Even on the wing there is simply more to the squad. Between Pedro Neto, Gittens, Joao Pedro, Estevao Willian, Palmer, and then Noni Madueke or his replacement if a transfer goes through, Chelsea are well stocked to attack the various competitions.

Whereas last season there was a drop off outside of the first-choice players, Maresca has genuine strength in depth. The deals for Gittens, Delap, Essugo, Santos (from January 2023), and Pedro are worth £176million but that will not be an issue if they enable Maresca to keep his squad fresh.

The only position that looks weak is at left-back, where Cucurella has nobody. Gusto has played there but is woefully out of form. If Josh Acheampong was to leave on loan or James got injured, Gusto at right-back could become an issue as well.

Overall, though, Chelsea have set up their squad well for the season ahead. Maresca will be hoping that a fleshed-out set of tools can help him get the work done.