Enzo Maresca has been speaking about Chelsea youngster Tyrique George in his pre-match press conference ahead of Saturday’s trip to Aston Villa in the Premier League.
Tyrique George, who’s aged 19, is a highly-rated talent to emerge from the Chelsea academy to their first team this season.
The teenage winger is still waiting to make his first-ever Premier League start, but he did come off the bench again during the Blues’ recent league defeat away at Brighton. George was a rare positive against Brighton with a lively cameo appearance as most teammates around him flopped in the 3-0 loss.
It’s going to be interesting to see if the young winger gets more minutes in the upcoming games, especially because right-winger Noni Madueke is now out with an injury. Madueke is expected back after the international break as he recovers from a hamstring problem.
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Enzo Maresca claims Chelsea youngster Tyrique George is impressing
Speaking via Chelsea’s official YouTube channel on Friday morning, Blues head coach Enzo Maresca was very upbeat about George.
He claims that the 19-year-old attacker is doing well and is in a position to play more due to the squad’s current injuries.
When asked if George is ready for Premier League games from the start, Maresca said: “For sure, he’s a young one. He’s not probably ready 100 per cent. But because of the amount of injuries we have, we need to use the ones we have. Ty is a young profile, he’s doing well… Hopefully we can give him more chances and he can help us.”
It’s been claimed recently that George is holding his own in Chelsea training after becoming a permanent senior player in December.
In his 12 first-team appearances this campaign, George has only played twice in the Premier League. Could we see the club’s academy graduate make his first league start during the weekend’s trip to Villa Park?
Chelsea may feel vindicated by Tyrique George decision
Chelsea rejected loan approaches for George in the recent January transfer window to keep him in their first-team squad.
In fairness, it looks like that may have been a smart decision because they’re looking a little stretched in the wide areas right now. Madueke is sidelined for a period with his injury, while Mykhailo Mudryk remains provisionally suspended.
With Pedro Neto and Sancho failing to contribute too much on the wings, perhaps George could be a surprise solution moving forward.
| Player | Minutes played | Successful dribbles |
| Jadon Sancho | 69 | 3/6 (50%) |
| Pedro Neto | 65 | 1/6 (17%) |
| Tyrique George | 25 | 2/2 (100%) |
It would be great to see George’s lively contribution last time out rewarded with a start at Villa.
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