The 21-time England international has only played 45 minutes of first-team action all season.
Wolverhampton Wanderers have indicated an interest in Ben Chilwell, a forgotten Chelsea left-back who hopes to finally end his nightmare at Stamford Bridge.
Enzo Maresca informed the 21-year-old England international during the summer that he was no longer needed at the club after four and a half years. “With (Chilwell), I said he is a lovely guy, but with his position, he’s going to struggle with us,” Maresca stated in August.
Chilwell is actively looking for a new chapter in his career after failing to reach the Premier League and Europa Conference League squads this season. The former Leicester City defender has only played 45 minutes of first-team football this season, all of which came in a 5-0 Carabao Cup win over League Two Barrow, but has otherwise played no role in Chelsea’s season.
Enzo Maresca admitted this month that he felt shame over his treatment of Chilwell, but reiterated that the defender would not be part of his plans moving forward. He explained: “Because players want to play more, there’s probably chances for them to leave. “But Ben has been top. I have to say that he has been top. Very professional, works hard. I feel shame because of that situation but in terms of behaviour, he has been very good.”
The Italian went on to elaborate on why Chilwell simply didn’t suit his footballing philosophy: “First of all because it is my choice. And because I can see Malo Gusto, Reece James or Marc Cucurella doing different kind of jobs during the game.
“I think Chilwell is a top full-back, doing that job up and down and given opportunity in past to win titles and be in the national team, but I struggle to see Ben doing different kinds of things.”
Ben Chilwell, an England player, has fallen from prominence in recent seasons due to persistent injuries and now Enzo Maresca’s decision to keep him out of Chelsea’s team.
However, the Milton-Keynes-born defender is still highly regarded for his amazing five-year tenure at Leicester City and key role in Chelsea’s Champions League victory under Thomas Tuchel in 2020/21.
As things stand, Caught Offside understands Wolves are eager to re-sign the full-back, especially given Rayan Ait-Nouri’s unclear long-term future. However, they are not the only club in the race; according to the same source, Borussia Dortmund, Marseille, Napoli, Stuttgart, Bournemouth, former club Leicester City, and AC Milan are also keeping an eye on things right now.
Chelsea are reportedly asking £25 million for Chilwell, which is almost half of what they paid four and a half years ago. However, the Blues may be willing to accept a bid of approximately £20 million to get the player off their books and gain a vital PSR boost.
According to Liverpool World, Everton, under new manager David Moyes, are also interested in signing the left-back.
