Enzo Maresca Insists Chelsea Has No January Transfer Regrets Despite Fresh Injuries

Chelsea manager, Enzo Maresca expressed confidence in the outcomes of the winter transfer window, despite facing injuries to strikers Nicolas Jackson and Marc Guiu.

Both players sustained injuries during Chelsea’s 2-1 victory over West Ham, with Jackson’s condition being described as “better” while Guiu’s injury is thought to be more serious, potentially sidelining him for “weeks or months.”

Jackson remains a doubt for Chelsea’s upcoming FA Cup fourth-round match against Brighton due to a hamstring concern.

Maresca stated he had “no regrets” regarding the decision not to sign an additional attacker during January, despite links to players such as Manchester United’s Alejandro Garnacho, Tottenham’s Mathys Tel, and Borussia Dortmund’s Jamie Bynoe-Gittens.

“I mentioned after the West Ham game that we evaluated our needs and the players who expressed a desire to leave,” Maresca noted.

“Ultimately, we accomplished what we set out to do. Before the last game, we had two strikers, Nico and Marc, and we can also adapt Christo [Nkunku] to play that role if necessary. In the event both are unavailable, we’re prepared to explore different strategies.”

Chelsea allowed six players to depart during the January window, including Joao Felix, Ben Chilwell, Axel Disasi, Renato Veiga, Cesare Casadei, and Carney Chukwuemeka. The club’s only new addition was 19-year-old midfielder Mathis Amougou from St Etienne.

Additionally, winger Mykhailo Mudryk is currently under provisional suspension due to an alleged violation of performance-enhancing substance regulations.

Regarding Felix’s loan move to AC Milan after a brief tenure at Chelsea, Maresca commented, “We collectively agreed that this was a positive step for him. He remained professional throughout and contributed well to the team. My decision was based on the need for defensive balance, as having an excess of attacking players can lead to conceding goals in transition, which I want to avoid.”

Maresca also confirmed that Christopher Nkunku, who had been linked with a January move to Manchester United, will see increased playing time moving forward. “Absolutely, yes,” he affirmed. “I mentioned Christo last week. He played around half an hour against West Ham, and I’m hopeful he can get more minutes soon to strengthen our squad.”