There is a feeling among Chelsea’s hierarchy that Enzo Maresca’s leaving the club in January was the main reason for Chelsea’s dismal second half to the season. Now, BlueCo have had their revenge.
Their revenge has come in two instances. Man City have paid Chelsea a £17m compensation fee for Maresca, amid reports that City approached Maresca while he was still in charge at Stamford Bridge.
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Serie A's Best Defender of 2025-26.
With City looking to appoint Maresca as Pep Guardiola’s replacement, Chelsea have taken action and raked in a £17m fee. But Chelsea are not letting Maresca and City off easily in the transfer window, either.
City have been linked with a few Chelsea players going into the summer, including ‘untouchable’ player Josh Acheampong. But reports say that it is another Chelsea defender that City and Maresca want.
Chelsea stubborn as BlueCo get revenge on Maresca again
There might have been a world where Chelsea were willing to compromise and accept a reasonable offer from City for Malo Gusto. It emerged a few weeks ago that City were interested in signing Gusto.
This week, reports suggested Chelsea were only willing to sell France’s World Cup defender for a massive £75m fee. That is despite some sections of Chelsea’s support questioning Gusto’s form during 2025-26.
Maresca is known to be a big admirer and City want a right-back, having played Matheus Nunes on the right of defence since Kyle Walker left. According to TeamTalk, City do not want to pay such a big fee.
Gusto, it is fair to say, is not a player worth beyond £70m. But perhaps it is simply a ploy to avoid City and other clubs from signing the right-back, even if Chelsea are closing in on a deal to land Marco Palestra.
If Chelsea were to compromise, what is a fair Gusto fee?
Bought for a little over £25m in January 2023, Gusto remained on loan at Lyon until the end of the 2022-23 season. He has since clocked up 134 appearances in three seasons for Chelsea, a key part of the side.
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Even with Palestra joining, Gusto remains a key part of this Chelsea side, especially amid reports that Xabi Alonso will use Reece James in midfield. But the £70m figure came as a shock, even to Chelsea fans.
No doubt, Chelsea deserve a profit on Gusto. A decent one, too. But if City tabled a £50m offer for the right-back, it would probably suit all parties for the right-back. However, Chelsea are being stubborn.
Perhaps, it is because Chelsea do not want to be seen selling one of their key players to a side managed by Maresca. Certainly, if City bid £70m for Gusto, then Chelsea will be laughing all the way to the bank.
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