Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has acknowledged that he had a discussion with striker Marc Guiu regarding his subpar training performances earlier this month.
The 19-year-old’s season-long loan to Sunderland was terminated after just three appearances, as Chelsea looked to rebuild their squad following Liam Delap’s hamstring injury.
Guiu found himself sidelined for a month before making a brief appearance against Liverpool just before the international break.
He then netted his first goal of the season during Chelsea’s 5-1 Champions League victory over Ajax on Wednesday.
Looking ahead to Saturday’s match against Sunderland at Stamford Bridge, Maresca commented: “We spoke with Marc two weeks ago. I expressed my dissatisfaction with his training and stressed that he needed to improve.
“Since then, he has transformed and earned his opportunity. His training wasn’t up to par in various aspects.”
When asked about the reason behind Guiu’s earlier struggles, Maresca replied, “I can’t say for sure. Young players often have fluctuations in their performances, so it’s important to guide them gradually.”
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“Since our conversation, his training has been excellent. He’s shown tremendous improvement and is now ready to start.”
“Marc is a typical number nine: physically robust and a player who thrives in the box. There’s plenty of room for him to enhance his skills, and we work with him daily to support his development. I have previously mentioned that he will definitely get game time with us.”
Guiu has also shared insights on the challenges he faced when returning from Sunderland, stating, “It was a bit chaotic, but I always strive to face challenges optimistically. I’m enjoying each moment because a football career is brief,” he told Spanish media outlet RTVE earlier this month.
There is ongoing speculation about Guiu possibly returning to Sunderland in January, although Black Cats manager Regis Le Bris downplayed that possibility on Friday, stating, “At present, we have satisfactory strikers and don’t need additional players.”
Regarding the potential of Guiu’s departure in January, Maresca stated, “It’s only October. The landscape can shift rapidly in football for players, managers, and everyone involved, making it hard to predict anything.”
Saturday’s match will be too soon for Delap, but he has returned to full training this week. Maresca suggested that there’s a chance the £30 million summer signing from Ipswich Town could feature in next Wednesday’s EFL Cup match against Wolves.