Enzo Maresca has told his Chelsea -Superiors to sign him a replacement for Levi Colwill in the middle at a time when the blues are constantly connected to attackers.
This weekend Maresca organized a Bullish press conference for their season opener versus Crystal Palace and explained exactly why the ACL injury of Colwill was a blow to his tactical system.
Maresca hinted that he had been informed that he had to find an internal solution for the absence of Colwill, but with Chelsea still involved in chases for the Alejandro Garnacho of Manchester United and RB Leipzigs Xavi Simons, he suggested that a central defender should be the priority.
“He must be gone for a long time,” said Maresca. “It's a big loss for us. You know how important Levi was for us last season, for the way we want to play.
'We have often said that we can create opportunities and attack it in the right way if we can build in the right way. Levi was a large part of our structure and now he is out.
“We try to find a solution internally, but the club knows exactly what I think.”
Asked to expand what he had told the Chelsea -Hierarchy, he replied: “I think we need a central defender. We are looking for an internal solution, but as I said, the club knows exactly what I think. '
The Maresca system includes sending a complete back to midfield and when that happens, Chelsea leaves three with a back.
He said continuation of the absence of Colwill: 'When we build, we build in the middle with Levi. Last year we played 64 games and played 64 games with Levi and Tosin (Adarabioyo). Now Levi is out. The only one he can do well is Tosin. '
Chelsea has signed Jorrel Hato of Ajax this summer and he can play on the left or the center of the back, but added: 'Hato is a new one, he never played as the man in the middle last season, so it is not a central defender. Yes, he is a central defender. Can he do that? It's different.
'We also have players who, such as Wes (Fofana) or Benoit (Badiashile), currently have some problems. This is why I said the club knows exactly what I think of central defenders. '