Chelsea´s main aim to offload players, says Maresca

Enzo Maresca says that Chelsea’s main aim is to offload players as the end of the transfer window draws closer.

The Blues have made 12 signings so far and are the highest spenders in the Premier League.

On Tuesday, they added goalkeeper Mike Penders to their ranks from Genk for a reported €20million on an eight-year contract.

Penders has made just two senior appearances for the Belgian side, both of which came last month, and the 19-year-old will spend the rest of the season on loan with the Belgian side.

Chelsea currently have over 40 players in their squad, with England internationals Raheem Sterling and Ben Chilwell among a group of 15 currently training away from the first team.

The club’s desire to sell players has been well-documented to avoid falling foul of the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules, and Maresca says they are prioritising the outgoings this week.

Chelsea have completed the signing of Mike Penders from KRC Genk, with the goalkeeper to officially join from next summer.

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) August 27, 2024

“The target is to solve the economic problem in terms of selling players,” Maresca told the club website. “From there, we try to do our best and see where we arrive.

“For us, the target in this moment is to improve players. No one from the club asked me to compete for the Premier League or compete for a Champions League spot.

“I want to see my team play the way we want to play and compete every game. I want to see on the ball a clear idea of what they want, and off the ball, a very aggressive team. The most important thing is to be better game after game.”

Kepa Arrizabalaga is believed to be the next player out of the door at Chelsea, with a medical set at Bournemouth ahead of a potential season-long loan.

However, Chelsea are still being linked with players, with Jadon Sancho and Ivan Toney reportedly of interest to the London club.