Chelsea 2025: Maresca’s Men Aim to Prove a Point
Following this weekend’s draw against Crystal Palace, the Blues have continued their recent slump after such a positive start under Enzo Maresca. After a reasonably positive 2024 with the Pochettino era ending on a high and the Maresca era starting in impressive fashion, can the West Londoners build on this and get back to where the club should be?
Here is my preview for the year ahead, amidst a Chelsea 2025 team rebuild!
Chelsea 2025 January Transfer Window: Centre Back Dilemma
As everyone knows, the January transfer window is a tricky one for all clubs. The majority of the “selling” clubs are always reluctant to sell their big stars, which could ultimately affect their own campaigns. This window always seems to see sporadic team players get moved on along with some panic signings from the bigger clubs.
For the Blues, they will feel the need to move some of these fringe players on in order to cut the squad size even more and potentially make more room for investment in the summer. Players who will look to utilise this window will include Ben Chilwell, Carney Chukwuemeka and potentially Cesare Casadei. These are players who have struggled for minutes and look completely out of Maresca’s plans.
It has been widely reported that Chelsea would have few new arrivals this January. That can be difficult to trust, though, under the new regime at the club. Due to Wesley Fofana and Benoit Badiashile’s extended absences, Maresca has dabbled in the concept of bringing in defensive cover, as defensive weaknesses have definitely been noticeable during this recent downturn of form.
For me, a desperate search for sufficient defensive cover in January would be an astronomical task. This would run the risk of panic buying when there are so many young defensive talents at the club’s disposal, like Josh Acheampong, who impressed on his Premier League debut against Crystal Palace.
Ultimately, the Blues should enter this market cautiously with the view of focusing on sorting the future of unwanted players.
Cup Competitions
Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea will face a challenging yet exciting journey in the FA Cup and UEFA Conference League knockout stages in 2025. Under his management, the team will look to enter these competitions with the blend of tactical flexibility and youthful exuberance that they’ve been showing at the earlier stages in the Premier League and the Conference League.
Although the use of rotation in the Carabao Cup proved detrimental following their loss at St James Park against Newcastle, Maresca will be looking to utilise his squad in the earlier stages of the FA Cup. The first task for the Blues will be Morecombe of League Two. This is undoubtedly a competition the Chelsea faithful will look to strive in and hopefully bring some silverware back to the club. Last season, Pochettino led his Chelsea side to a Carabao Cup final and an FA Cup semi-final. Will Maresca devote the same amount of attention to an FA Cup run and lead his team to the victory they’ve been chasing for years?
Chelsea has dominated the Conference League. Maresca has been able to rotate his squad freely and win with ease in most of their games in the League Phase. The West Londoners will be anticipating tougher tests as they go deeper into the competition, which could warrant a return of Cole Palmer to the European squad. This is definitely a competition that Maresca’s men are expected to go all the way in and it is a great opportunity for the club to be the first to complete the full set of European cups.
Overall, success in cup competitions would prove very popular amongst the Chelsea faithful. For most fans, a trophy has been well overdue since the successes of the Thomas Tuchel era. Silverware this season would definitely give Boehly and Egbhali a better reputation around the club and beyond.
The Second Half: Eyes on the Champions League
Cast your mind back to the 18th of August 2024. Chelsea had just lost the season opener 2-0 to champions Manchester City. Albeit it was a tough fixture, Chelsea fans were left with very little belief in what was to come.
Looking back on such a time, it is hard to believe where the club finds themselves now. The SW6 side find themselves well and truly in a race for Champions League football next year and are competing against the very best in the division. The winning mentality is starting to be instilled back into this club and the expectations of the Chelsea fans are starting to rise once again.
Despite a recent dip in performance, there is a genuine conviction that securing a coveted top-four spot remains attainable. In my opinion, fans must keep patient with Maresca and his side, as this team is still very young with a lot to learn and a lot of experience to gain from challenges like this. There is nothing stopping this bunch of players from reaching new heights as each season passes by but Maresca must find his best team and generate consistency all over the pitch in order for the team to compete for a Premier League title in the years to come.
Ultimately, as positivity has definitely begun to dawn on the Bridge once again, there is a real sense of belief and expectation that the Blues replicate their first half of the season and clinch a Champions League spot and hence continue to grow under this new regime.
Summer In America: The Inaugural CWC
As a result of the club’s 2021 Champions League success, The Blues will travel to the US to participate in the first, newly revamped FIFA Club World Cup. Before the new and improved Club World Cup arrived, the summer of 2025 was looking like it would be a long and dull one. From the 15th of June to the 25th of July, 32 of the top football teams on the globe will compete against one another, relieving football fans of a significant portion of the dreaded gap between the conclusion of one season and the beginning of the next. Chelsea, through their European success 3 years ago have snuck in.
For many fans, this would be a fulfilling trophy to win. It would make a statement to world football. Looking at the clubs the Blues have been pooled with in the group stage, they will be significant favourites to get out of it and be in hot pursuit to win the inaugural competition.
With clubs like Manchester City, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich in the West Londoners way, it could potentially be a very intriguing summer for not just Chelsea fans but all football fans.
That aside, Chelsea will welcome their new young superstars Estevao Willian and Kendry Paez to the club. Maresca will also have to revisit the potential of integrating returning loanees to the squad like Andrey Santos, who has been flying at sister club Strasbourg.
With more chopping and changing expected, could the formation of an increasingly exciting squad along with a successful Club World Cup campaign allow Chelsea fans to have a summer of club football to remember?
Title Challenge Next Season?
As we know from the current Premier League season so far, the Blues have shown glimpses of promise all over the pitch. Goals have been flowing more frequently and confidence has begun to shine through some of their big-money signings.
As we most fans know, Maresca’s side still has some frailties defensively. On the other hand, this is still one of the youngest squads in the league who are continuing to progress. In my opinion, with the experience gained from this year along with the arrivals of the aforementioned young South Americans, this is the season that Chelsea fans will have quietly earmarked as the most exciting one to follow in the new regime to date.
Will this season continue to build characters in the Chelsea dressing room while also maintaining high standards? Will the extra additions to the squad be the final piece of this everlasting Chelsea jigsaw? For me, the next season starting in August could be one to watch.
2025: Time To Be Competitive
Under Enzo Maresca, Chelsea looks set to be a competitive force in 2025. With the possession-based, attacking style, Maresca will continue to focus on fluid, high-tempo football, utilising the improving squad he has at his disposal. While defensive consistency remains a challenge, Maresca’s high-pressing system aims to minimise gaps, and with continuous work, these mistakes can hopefully become minimal.
Chelsea’s squad depth and talented young players provide a solid foundation for challenging the Premier League’s top sides. With the right balance and development, Maresca’s Chelsea is well-positioned to compete and return to prominence in 2025.
After all, Maresca has said that he can build a Chelsea side to dominate the next decade.
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