Man Utd 'offered Chelsea star' in transfer proposal amid injury crisis

Chelsea have reportedly dangled Ben Chilwell in front of Manchester United as they look to slash their hefty wage bill.

The England left-back, who made the switch from Leicester City to Chelsea in 2020, has racked up over a century of appearances for the Blues despite a spate of injuries hampering his four-year stint in West London. Chilwell, now 27, put pen to paper on a fresh deal just before the close of the 2022-23 season, tying him down until summer 2027.

However, since extending his stay, managerial merry-go-rounds have seen him tumble down the selection ladder. The latest gaffer, Enzo Maresca, hasn't minced words with Chilwell, who found himself sidelined in pre-season and has been warned that game time will be scarce unless he packs his bags.

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A switch to Old Trafford is on the cards, although it's a complex affair. With Erik ten Hag's squad currently missing injured pair Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia, Chelsea's proposition could be timely.

talkSPORT sources say the Red Devils have been given the nod to nab Chilwell, with Chelsea not putting up any barriers. Left out of Maresca's pick for the clash against Manchester City, where Marc Cucurella took the left-back spot, Chilwell's future seems elsewhere.

Maresca was upfront about Chilwell's situation before the season kicked off: "With Chilly it's quite clear," the Chelsea boss admitted. "I love the way he trains, I love the way he is but the problem is that he struggles with us a little bit to find his best position.

"When you train everyday and you don't get minutes, it's not good for them and it's not good for me because I need to make decisions. For some players, it's sometimes better to leave and to go somewhere to get minutes. We will see what happens, the transfer window is open and we will see what happens."

Chilwell is among several high-profile players who have been left out of Maresca's squad for Thursday's Europa Conference League play-off first leg against Servette. Raheem Sterling has also been dropped, with his squad number being handed over to new signing Pedro Neto on Wednesday .

Sterling, like Chilwell, was absent from the matchday squad on Sunday. "I'm not saying Raheem is not a good player but I prefer different kinds of wingers. This is the reason why," the manager explained.

Joao Felix will also be missing from the line-up against Servette despite finalising his move from Atletico Madrid. However, Maresca couldn't hide his delight at securing the services of the Portuguese international.

"He can play inside, outside, he can play as a No.9 and this versatility is one of the reasons why we have signed him," Maresca expressed. "He's a very good player and we are happy to have him here."