Time for Maresca to sell Chelsea’s flop who earns as much as Palmer

Chelsea have struck gold in the transfer market recently, with players such as Cole Palmer and Moises Caicedo proving to be some of the Premier Leagueis the best, capable of leading the Blues to glory for years to come.

Frankly, Chelsea have a lot of work ahead of them, on and off the pitch, if they are to move past the likes of Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City and become the powerhouse of English football again.

But Enzo Maresca he will bring a lot of optimism from his team’s start to the top campaign; victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers this evening would see Chelsea leapfrog Newcastle United back into the top four.

There is much to like about the Stamford Bridge side, robust and nimble in attack, but there is still plenty of turnover – with a few expected exits.

Where does Chelsea’s front line go?

BlueCo seem intent on signing a new left winger. Mikhaylo Mudryk failed a doping test in December, but claims to be innocent. However, the Ukrainian has not featured since playing and scoring against Heidenheim in the Conference League on November 28.

Jamie Gittens from Borussia Dortmund was placed on the club’s wish list this monthwhile recent queries have also been filed in relation Alejandro Garnachowho went through tough times under Ruben Amorim at Old Trafford.

It suggests Maresca is unhappy with his current options, with Bayern Munich’s Mathys Tel also identified as a winter target and the Germans looking to sign Christopher Nkunku in a separate deal.

Palmer, Nicolas Jackson and several others should star under Maresca for many years to come, but there is another member who is attracting interest from Italy and should be sold.

He only returned to Most for a while, but Joao Felix is struggling to establish himself in this talented and multi-layered team.

Why Chelsea must sell Joao Felix already

Felix’s career hasn’t really taken off since he left Benfica as an incredible talent and landed in Madrid complete a £113m transfer to Diego Simeone’s Atletico, where he is scored 34 goals in 131 appearances.

Within that period was a brief loan spell in west London, arriving at Chelsea when they were at their lowest in the post-Abramovich world and showing flashes of quality, but eventually a return to La Liga at the end of a disappointing Chelsea campaign.

A year later, the west Londoners are back for the silky talent – this time on a permanent deal, completion of application for £45m fee last August.

It’s been a mixed season for the 25-year-old so far, with Felix playing a central role in Chelsea’s flawless Conference League campaign but usually struggling against lower caliber opposition.

In the Premier League, he scored from the bench as Chelsea demolished Wolves, but since then he has failed to add to his league-best tally, although he was only awarded three starting places.

Chelsea are showing a kind of relentless edge in the transfer market and could continue to do so with Felix’s sale. According to Italian publication Calcio MercatoAC Milan are looking to strengthen their front line after a largely frustrating tenure and have made Felix one of their priorities.

The Italian giants are keen to capitalize on his lack of authority under Maresco and get Chelsea to cut their losses, initially bringing him in on loan before tying down a £30m move at the end of the 205/26 season.

Yes, that means Milan would like to loan Felix out for the upcoming season as well, so Chelsea would have to wait a while before earning their wages, but given that a continued first-team role could see his value drop further – even now Transfermarkt lists Felix’s market value at just £25m – it might be wise to finalize the terms as soon as possible.

Felix has impressed in the Conference League, but even against inferior opposition, his metrics on the European stage this term still don’t match Palmer’s telling comments about a player Maresca should spend their tactical resources improving.

Of course, you can never go too deep in football (with financial parameters, of course), but if AC Milan are serious about signing the Portugal international, there is good reason for Maresca to confirm to the powers that be that he would be willing to part ways with the mercurial player.

Not least because Felix’s weekly wages are £130,000 in fact on par with Palmer’sand this after the respected England international signed a new lucrative contract with Chelsea in August, extended the contract until 2033.

Jamie Carragher named Palmer “the best player in the Premier League” this season, alongside Palmer scored 39 goals and 21 assists in 69 appearances for Chelsea since leaving Manchester City in 2023.

There is also the point that Chelsea will not be planning a second consecutive season in the Conference League and will exhaust all efforts to qualify for Europe’s elite competition.

This will certainly serve as a natural driver, with fringe players finding their options limited for years to come.

Well, it hardly seems likely that Palmer will fall from his position as Chelsea’s first superstar at number ten, and if a club like AC Milan is interested in signing Felix, Paul Winstanley and company would do well to heed the offer.