Enzo Maresca revealed Ben Chilwell is training well after failing to secure a summer move away from the club and said he will decided on a game by game basis whether he will use the 27-year-old.
Chilwell was named vice captain by Mauricio Pochettino last season, but once again had an injury plagued campaign and only made 13 Premier League appearances and 21 in all competitions.
When the England international was on the pitch he looked a shadow of the player he had been previously and he’s really struggled to get back to anywhere near his best form.
Chilwell training well
The writing appeared to be on the wall for Chilwell in pre-season as he only played 64 minutes under Maresca and it was soon made clear to him that he wasn’t part of the plans going forward.
Chilwell was sent to train with the “bomb squad” whilst he tried to find a move away, but there were seemingly very few suitors for him.
Manchester United reportedly turned down the chance to sign him, whilst there was believed to be some interest from Brentford, but nothing materialised.
Having failed to secure a move away Chilwell was named in Chelsea’s 25 man squad for the Premier League and is now back training with the first team.
How often he’s going to play, if at all remains to be seen after he was left out of the squad for the league phase of the Europa Conference League, but Maresca has revealed he’s training well and will decide on a game by game basis if he’s going to play.
“Ben is one of the guys who was ready to leave, but he’s here and he’s training with us,” he told The Independent.
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“He’s training well. He’s our player. Game after game we are going to consider in case we are going to use him.”
It makes sense to reintegrate Chilwell until at least January and he will need some minutes in order to put himself in the shop window and attract potential suitors, with a possible opportunity coming against Barrow on Tuesday night in the Carabao Cup.