Former England midfielder Danny Murphy has cautioned Ben Chilwell that he is ‘not going to play’ under Chelsea’s new manager Enzo Maresca and should be considering finding a new club this summer.
Chilwell has made over 100 appearances for Chelsea since his £45m transfer from Leicester City in 2020.
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At 27, Chilwell is regarded as one of the top left-backs in the Premier League when in form, but he has faced two injury-riddled seasons at Stamford Bridge.
His lengthy absence last season allowed Marc Cucurella to rejuvenate his Chelsea career, with the Spaniard impressing and winning over fans after a shaky start.
Cucurella’s strong performances continued at Euro 2024, where he played a key role in Spain’s European Championship win, featuring in nearly every match for Luis de la Fuente’s squad.
Given the current form of both Cucurella and Chilwell, Murphy doubts that Chilwell will start for Chelsea this season and thinks he may need to seek a new club.
With Chelsea’s extensive spending, they are open to selling some first-team players, and Manchester United were rumored to be interested in Chilwell earlier in the summer.
‘He’s not going to play,’ Murphy told talkSPORT about Chilwell being mentioned as a potential leader in Chelsea’s young squad.
‘[Marc] Cucurella is going to play after his performances in the Euros and the end of the season. I think Chelsea fans would prefer Cucurella now.’
When asked about Chilwell’s situation, Murphy responded: ‘Picking up his dough and waiting for a move.’
Earlier this week, Wolves star Pedro Neto became Chelsea’s latest summer signing, joining Omari Kellyman, Tosin Adarabioyo, Marc Guiu, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, and Filip Jorgensen in arriving at Stamford Bridge.
Murphy criticized Chelsea’s transfer strategy as ‘nonsensical’ and believes the club is in for another challenging season.
‘I’ve never seen anything like it in my life,’ he remarked. ‘It’s absolutely nonsensical.’
‘The people in charge of recruitment are either being directed or they’re clueless; it’s one or the other. How can what they’re doing be considered logical or financially viable?’
When asked where Chelsea might finish this season, Murphy predicted: ‘Eighth? Seventh or eighth.’
Maresca’s tenure as Chelsea manager kicks off on Sunday with a match against Premier League champions Manchester City at Stamford Bridge.