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Enzo Maresca receives surprise Chelsea transfer message
Cameron Smith
- 30 Nov 2025 16:16 GMT
- 4 min read
News
Chelsea legend Gary Cahill believes his former club don’t need to sign a new centre-back in 2026.
Enzo Maresca was eager to bolster his defensive options before Transfer Deadline Day this summer, following Levi Colwill’s anterior cruciate ligament injury, but the Stamford Bridge hierarchy blocked a possible new signing after the arrival of Jorrel Hato from Ajax.
Current ETV
Jorrel Hato
D (L)
Chelsea
Jorrel Hato
D (L)
Chelsea
ETV Range
€50.1M - €61.2M
The Blues already have a plethora of central defenders on their books, including the likes of Mamadou Sarr and Aaron Anselmino who have been sent out on loan for the entirety of the 2025-26 campaign, and they opted against bringing another option to the club during the final few days of the summer window.
However, recent reports have speculated that Chelsea could dip into the market for a new centre-back in 2026, amid rumoured interest in Nottingham Forest star Murillo, and multiple pundits have urged the club to strengthen their defensive roster.
Despite this, Cahill has admitted that he wouldn’t sign a central defender next year if he was in charge of Chelsea’s transfer business.
Gary Cahill comments on Chelsea’s centre-back roster
Speaking to The Evening Standard, Cahill was asked to assess the current centre-back situation at his former club and the 39-year-old was keen to heap praise on the options available to Maresca.
“There has been a lot of noise around this for a long time, but I think the lads that are there are doing a very good job of proving that they don’t need to add to this position,” Cahill said.
“I’ve been very impressed with Wesley Fofana since he’s come back. Touch wood that he stays fit.
“Trevoh Chalobah: look at the job he’s been doing - he’s a bit of an unsung hero. Trevoh is probably the most underappreciated player at Chelsea.
“I worked with him when he was young, and he’s got a great attitude. He’s been put on loan, thinking that maybe he’s not needed at the club. But you see his attitude when he comes back into the team and rolls his sleeves up.
“Now he is starting in huge games for Chelsea and performing very well. He comes in and does the job week in, week out.”
“Levi Colwill was arguably the main centre-back at the club, but they also have Tosin [Adarabioyo], who has a bit more experience, and Josh Acheampong is developing.”
Cahill added: “There has been a lot of noise on the defence and sometimes you can understand why when they’re chopping and changing that position a lot, but when everyone is fully fit, they’re making a good case that they don’t need another centre-back to come in.
“Their centre-backs are all young and still learning; they’re not the finished article yet.”
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