Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has announced that Liam Delap is “very close” to resuming training as he recovers from a hamstring injury.
Delap sustained the injury during Chelsea’s 2-0 victory against Fulham on August 30, with Maresca initially indicating that the 22-year-old would be sidelined for up to 12 weeks.
This injury prompted Chelsea to scramble during the transfer window, attempting to prevent Nicolas Jackson from leaving for Bayern Munich, while also recalling Marc Guiu from his loan at Sunderland. They opted against allowing Tyrique George to join Fulham despite a negotiated £22 million ($29.4 million) move.
With João Pedro suspended following a red card in their last Champions League match against Benfica, Maresca stated that Delap, signed in the summer for £30 million from Ipswich Town, may return sooner than expected.
“Liam is very close,” Maresca said. “He’s not training with us just yet, but we hope he can join in soon.”
When asked about who would start against Ajax, Maresca did not confirm a lineup, stating, “We have Marc and also Tyrique, who has previously played as a striker. We have several options, and after our training session this afternoon, we will decide.”
“We have faith in Marc. Last year, we relied on him in the Conference League, and he also had opportunities in the Premier League. We have demonstrated our trust in him,” Maresca added.
Maresca addressed criticisms of Chelsea’s discipline after the recent red card shown to Malo Gusto during their match against Nottingham Forest, marking the team’s fifth red card in six games.
This tally includes Maresca’s own red card received against Liverpool for his exuberant celebration of a last-minute goal. The manager emphasized that he prefers to guide players rather than punish them.
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“We must improve in certain areas; some red cards have been preventable,” he said. “For instance, Malo’s sending off was entirely avoidable — the game was effectively over at 3-0.”
He explained, “While teams want to stay aggressive, having five or six red cards indicates that we need to make adjustments. Personally, I don’t believe in punishing players; instead, I strive to help them understand their decisions. There are different contexts for each red card. I relate my approach to parenting; when my children err, I don’t punish them but guide them to make better choices. It’s about understanding, rather than punishment.”
Enzo Fernández may be back in the squad after dealing with inflammation in his right knee following international duty with Argentina.