Enzo Maresca has told his Chelsea superiors to sign him a replacement for Levi Colwill at centre back at a time when the Blues are being constantly linked with attackers.
Maresca staged a bullish press conference before their season opener versus Crystal Palace this weekend, explaining exactly why Colwill’s ACL injury was a blow to his tactical system.
Maresca hinted he had been informed that he must find an internal solution to Colwill’s absence but with Chelsea still involved in chases for Manchester United’s Alejandro Garnacho and RB Leipzig’s Xavi Simons, he suggested signing a central defender should be the priority.
‘He has to be out for a long time,’ Maresca said. ‘It is a big loss for us. You know how important Levi has been for us last season, for the way we want to play.
‘We said many times that we are able to create chances and to attack in the right way if we are able to build in the right way. Levi was a huge part of our build-up and now he is out.
‘We are trying to find a solution internally but the club know exactly what I think.’
Enzo Maresca has told his Chelsea superiors to sign him a replacement for Levi Colwill
Colwill is set to miss the majority of the campaign after suffering an ACL injury in pre-season
But the Blues continue to be linked with attacking signings, including Alejandro Garnacho
Asked to expand on what he had told the Chelsea hierarchy, he answered: ‘I think we need a central defender. We are looking for an internal solution but as I said, the club know exactly what I think.’
Maresca’s system involves sending a full back into midfield and when that happens, it leaves Chelsea with a back three.
Continuing on Colwill’s absence, he said: ‘When we build, we build with Levi in the middle. Last year we played 64 games and we played 64 games with Levi and Tosin (Adarabioyo). Now Levi is out. The only one that he can do that job well is Tosin.’
Chelsea signed Jorrel Hato from Ajax this summer and he can play at left back or centre back, but added: ‘Hato is a new one, he never played as the guy in the middle last season, so it’s not about being a central defender. Yes, he is a central defender. Can he do that? It’s different.
‘Also we have players that, unfortunately, like Wes (Fofana) or Benoit (Badiashile), they have in this moment some problems. This is the reason why I said that the club knows exactly what I think about central defenders.’
