Enzo Maresca’s latest Chelsea promise would scupper potential January transfer plan | OneFootball

Enzo Maresca has assured that Marc Guiu will get his minutes for Chelsea this season despite the loan eligibility risk that would come with it.

After Liam Delap picked up a hamstring injury that would keep him sidelined for an expected 12 weeks at the end of August, Chelsea understandably decided to bring in another striker while they could.

Instead of signing a new number nine, they decided to recall Guiu, who had already joined Sunderland on loan, to fill the void.

Interestingly, since making a return to Stamford Bridge, Guiu has not played a single minute under Maresca.

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Tyrique George, who is naturally a left winger, has been chosen as a starting striker on the few occasions that Joao Pedro was rested.

Maresca's puzzling decisions have unsurprisingly raised some eyebrows, but the head coach insisted that the young striker will get his chances.

"Marc is working well this week," Maresca said about the former Barcelona striker in Friday's press conference.

"He has worked very, very good. Much better compared to the first weeks when he came back.

"But for sure he's going to get minutes with us, and he's going to play games."

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Maresca's statement pretty much debunks the theory that Chelsea have deliberately avoided playing Guiu to keep him available for the loan market in January.

FIFA rules state that a player can be registered for a maximum of three clubs in a season, but is only eligible to play competitively for two, and Guiu has already played a few games for Sunderland.

It is a complicated situation to be in for the striker.

It must be nice to hear an assurance from Maresca about getting some minutes.

On the other hand, the limited playing time could hinder his development, especially with George seemingly ahead of him in the pecking order, and any January move would be out of the window once he plays for Chelsea this season.