Aston Villa are now believed to be eyeing a surprise January move for one of Chelsea’s summer signings, according to a new report.
Chelsea prepare for Bournemouth after humbling Leeds defeat
Chelsea make the journey to Bournemouth on Saturday afternoon, desperate to bounce back from their humbling 3-1 defeat at Leeds United, with Enzo Maresca insisting his side have no fresh fitness worries.
The Blues are forced to navigate another difficult fixture without suspended £150,000-per-week midfielder Moises Caicedo, though, who was a sore miss at Elland Road as Daniel Farke’s side exposed their fragility minus the Ecuadorian.
Maresca addressed the media on Friday morning ahead of the Vitality Stadium encounter, confirming Caicedo will serve the second match of his three-game domestic ban following his dismissal against Arsenal.
The star’s absence continues to leave Chelsea light in central midfield, particularly with Roméo Lavia and Dario Essugo both ruled out through injury problems of their own.
Maresca provided a concerning update on Lavia’s condition, revealing the midfielder faces an indefinite spell on the sidelines due to muscular issues.
When pressed on whether the problem was short or long-term, the Italian offered little reassurance, stating only that it represents “a muscular problem” with no clear return date.
The setback compounds Lavia’s frustrating Chelsea career, having missed the entirety of last season and significant chunks of this campaign through various fitness issues.
Essugo’s situation offers similarly grim reading for Maresca.
The Portuguese youngster appeared close to rejoining training sessions last week but has since suffered a setback that will keep him sidelined against Bournemouth.
Long-term absentee Levi Colwill remains unavailable as he continues rehabilitation from his ACL injury sustained during pre-season.
One positive emerged from Maresca’s briefing regarding Cole Palmer’s availability. The England international returned for the final 30 minutes at Elland Road on Wednesday evening after two months absent through groin and toe injuries, though whether he starts on the south coast is unclear.
Chelsea hold talks with defender's camp as Moises Caicedo offers thoughts on signing
The midfielder is playing a role in this potential transfer.
ByEmilio Galantini
The widespread absences have forced Maresca into makeshift solutions, with captain Reece James and Malo Gusto both deployed in central midfield roles recently.
Maresca quite simply needs every man he can count on as Chelsea look to put that Leeds defeat behind them, making Villa’s interest in Liam Delap quite a surprise.
Aston Villa eyeing January move for Chelsea striker Liam Delap
The former Ipswich and Man City striker joined Chelsea six months ago in a deal worth around £30 million, spending much of the early campaign out with a hamstring problem before returning to the fold.
Delap finds himself behind Joao Pedro in the pecking order, with Football Insider’s Wayne Veysey now reporting that Villa are keen to capitalise and move for Delap in January.
It is believed Unai Emery’s side are eyeing a potential winter move for the 22-year-old amid their search for a prolific striker to complement Ollie Watkins, and could try to tempt him with a more ‘prominent role’.
It is unclear what Chelsea would demand for their new striker, but it’s far more likely they just won’t entertain a sale, period.
Delap’s first Chelsea goal arrived against Esperance in the Club World Cup, offering a glimpse of the predatory instincts that convinced BlueCo to invest in his services.
The highlight of Delap’s opening months came in November when he scored his maiden Champions League goal for Chelsea during their commanding 3-0 victory over Barcelona at Stamford Bridge.
Delap would arguably have more to show for his efforts if not for that hamstring injury, and it is very hard to envisage a scenario where Maresca could be open to selling the number nine already, especially amid their push for silverware and hectic fixture calendar.
That being said, in today’s footballing landscape, you can never rule anything out.