It’s been a challenging period for Ben Chilwell, who is still working out separately from Chelsea’s main squad.
However, there’s a glimmer of hope for the England international.
Enzo Maresca has given Chilwell a chance by including him in the Premier League squad submitted to the league on Friday.
Possible Solutions on the Horizon
Maresca plans to sit down with Chilwell soon to discuss possible solutions, aiming to avoid a prolonged period of isolation for the 27-year-old.
One option could be reintroducing him to the first team until January, after which they might seek a buyer again.
Current Status and Previous Statements
Earlier, Maresca had mentioned that players training separately wouldn’t be used in matches.
This was evident as Chilwell was left out of the squad for the Conference League fixtures submitted to UEFA last week.
This exclusion means Chilwell won’t participate in any of Chelsea’s next six European games.
Complications and Future Prospects
Despite Chelsea’s successful signings of Raheem Sterling and Trevoh Chalobah over the summer, finding a new club for Chilwell proved difficult, complicating his situation further.
On Friday, he trained alone at Cobham, but being named in the Premier League squad opens up the possibility of him playing if injuries strike.
Maresca’s Take on the Situation
At his Friday press conference, ahead of their trip to Bournemouth, Maresca addressed Chilwell’s situation.
He remarked, “Ben is now probably the only one that is still here.
We are going to sit with him and find a solution because he is the only one.
The reason why he is training apart is that the idea was for him to leave.
But since a solution wasn’t found, he is likely to start training with us. If we decide that, he will be one of the players.”