Enzo Maresca offers Man Utd boost in bid for top target who ‘doesn’t fit’ Chelsea system

Enzo Maresca admits Ben Chilwell is in a “delicate situation” at Chelsea amid links to Manchester United this summer.

Chilwell moved to Chelsea from Leicester for £45m in the summer of 2020 but faces an uncertain future at Stamford Bridge after Maresca replaced Mauricio Pochettino at the helm.

The 27-year-old has been hit by multiple injuries in his time at Stamford Bridge and missed a big chunk of last season to effectively rule him out of the running for Euro 2024, where left-back rival Marc Cucurella starred for Spain .

Cucurella showed in that tournament, and at the end of last season under Pochettino, that he’s comfortable coming into midfield as an inverted full-back, as are fellow Blues full-backs Malo Gusto and Reece James.

But Chilwell is an out-and-out left-back, as Maresca confirmed on Chelsea’s pre-season tour.

Asked about Chilwell’s best position Maresca said: “Chilly is a left-back, for sure. I see him as I’ve always seen him like a left full-back.”

Asked whether he could adapt to an inverted role, Maresca added: “His situation is a bit delicate.

“It’s delicate in terms of we are trying to find a solution for him in terms of position, we are trying to find the right position for him. He probably needs a bit of time.

“We want players that can perform 100 per cent and for sure in these two or three weeks.

“Malo [Gusto] and Reece [James] can both do the work required of them and both finish with more assists or more dangerous in the way they were being used in the past because in that position they are good enough to make last passes because their quality, they are both very good.”

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Manchester United could offer Chilwell an escape route this summer as sporting director Dan Ashworth looks to ease concerns over the left-back position.

Both Tyrell Malacia and Luke Shaw missed a large part of last season through injury and manager Erik ten Hag wants to avoid a similar situation to last term, when he had to make do with using players out of position to fill the void.

Reports of interest from the Red Devils in Chilwell emerged earlier this month and TalkSPORT journalist Alex Crook confirmed that there’s doubt over his future at Chelsea and that the England international remains on “United’s list” .

“Chilwell doesn’t really fit into his system,” Crook said.

“What he likes his fullbacks to do is a bit like Pep Guardiola, because we know he’s a Guardiola disciple. He wants to push on into midfield and play that hybrid role. That isn’t really Chilwell.

“He’s an out-and-out left back. Maresca has said that. I think there is a possibility that if there is interest, I know he’s on Manchester United’s list of potential targets this summer.

“There may be Chelsea cash in because he’s also got Marc Cucurella, who finished last season really well.

“He’s coming back high in confidence, having just been a big part of that Spain team that won the Euros.”