Chelsea could complete transfer next week as £50m decision awaits Enzo Maresca

Pre-season has started for Chelsea and new head coach Enzo Maresca as preparations for the new campaign are now well underway.

The first batch of players returned to Cobham on Monday morning, with some new faces among them. And it looks like there will be more new arrivals in the coming weeks, with the Blues being one of the clubs most active in the transfer window so far.

Chelsea continue to be linked with players, as well as current members of the squad being linked with an exit. The next few weeks will see Maresca shape his squad even more ahead of the Premier League opener against Manchester City in August.

With that in mind, football.london has taken a look at a couple of the stories doing the rounds. We have also put our own spin on the situation.

Chelsea want ‘deal sealed next week’

Chelsea want to beat off Premier League competition and seal a deal for Rennes winger Desire Doue by ‘next week’, according to the Sun. The report says that Manchester United, Tottenham, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain are also interested in the 19-year-old.

Doue is said to be a top priority for the Blues, and they have held talks with both the player’s representatives and Rennes, with negotiations ongoing. Chelsea are reported to want a deal for the teenager wrapped up by next week.

READ MORE: Chelsea already dealt major £26m Ben Chilwell transfer blow ahead of Enzo Maresca dilemma

READ MORE: Conor Gallagher's Chelsea exit latest as Spanish club emerges as 'most interested' club

football.london says: It would be a big boost to Enzo Maresca if Chelsea could beat off competition from clubs both in the Premier League and around Europe for one of the hottest talents, and moving quickly could be the way to do that.

Maresca’s style places importance on both the wingers being able to take on their man in wide areas and creating chances for their teammates. With Leicester, both wingers were usually tight to the touchline to make the pitch as big as possible.

Doue can play on either side or in attacking midfield and is valued at around £25 million by transfermarkt. It will give Maresca another option to use on the right, with Noni Madueke the only current first-team player in that position.

Getting deals done as quickly as possible will also be a big plus for Chelsea. The earlier the club can get players in, the more time Maresca will have to work with them on the training pitch and get across his ideas.

Man United ‘consider’ Ben Chilwell move

Manchester United are ‘considering’ a move for Ben Chilwell this summer as they search for competition for Luke Shaw. Chilwell had an injury-hit 2023/24 season, and there have been reports that he faces an uncertain future at Stamford Bridge.

The Daily Mail now claims that United could make a surprise move for the England man this summer. Chilwell has three years remaining on his current contract with the club but may find himself behind Marc Cucurella under Enzo Maresca due to the Italian’s style of play.

football.london says: Man United’s interest definitely gives Chelsea something to think about when it comes to Chilwell’s future. Maresca likes to play with inverted full-backs, which doesn’t necessarily suit the full-back’s game; he’s at his best when he can get into attacking areas down the left side of the pitch. He could therefore struggle for game time at Chelsea in the upcoming season.

If the Blues do decide to cash in, then they are not going to make anywhere near the £50 million that they splashed out on him back in 2020. But with a probable lack of game time, his value will only continue to drop over the remaining years of his contract.