Enzo Maresca Confirms Major Chelsea Fitness Boost Before Ajax Clash

Chelsea head Enzo Maresca has confirmed striker Liam Delap is connected nan cusp of making his long-awaited return to training.

Delap, a £30 cardinal ($40.1 million) summertime signing from Ipswich Town, picked up a hamstring wounded successful August which Maresca confidently predicted would sideline nan 22-year-old for astatine slightest 2 months.

That timeline is not acold disconnected arsenic nan erstwhile Leicester City leader revealed connected Tuesday that Delap is 1 measurement distant from being introduced backmost into squad training.

“Liam is very close, he is not moving pinch america yet, he is still out, but hopefully he tin commencement successful nan adjacent days [to] return portion successful nan convention pinch us,” Maresca told a property convention up of Wednesday’s Champions League gathering pinch Ajax.

Delap’s impending return will travel arsenic a immense boost to a Chelsea broadside which is erstwhile again struggling for goals from cardinal positions.

João Pedro, different summertime signing, has not scored since nan aforesaid crippled successful which Delap went disconnected injured, pinch nan Englishman’s absence a imaginable mentation arsenic nan 2 players appeared to person struck up a swift rapport.

Delap, who is still waiting for his first Premier League extremity for his caller club, caught nan oculus early this play pinch immoderate combative link-up play which allowed Pedro, usually starting successful attacking midfield, to lend some goals and assists. With Delap unavailable, nan Brazilian has had to capable successful further forwards.

Liam Delap’s impending return could unfastened nan doorway for much minutes elsewhere. / Crystal Pix/MB Media/Getty Images

Panic complete Delap’s wounded saw Chelsea terminate nan indebtedness of young striker Marc Guiu pinch Sunderland. The determination was questioned astatine nan clip and scepticism only grew arsenic he grounded to look successful immoderate of nan first six games since his return.

Guiu has, however, travel disconnected nan chair successful each of nan past 2 games. The Athletic statement he held crunch talks pinch Maresca successful hunt of an mentation for his deficiency of minutes, and nan Italian assured Guiu his chance would come. He played 16 minutes against Liverpool and earned a afloat 45 against Nottingham Forest past clip out.

“We person him, we person besides Tyrique [George],” Maresca said. “He played arsenic a No. 9 successful nan past, he did well.

“We spot Marc, we spot him already past year, he was ever playing successful nan Conference [League], we besides gave him immoderate Premier League games, truthful we are judge successful nan past that we spot Marc, now he is again pinch america and he is going to play nan games for sure.”

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