Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca believes being ruthless with Marc Guiu has modified the teenage striker for the higher after telling him he was sad “in all of the methods” together with his coaching efforts.
Maresca has summer season signing Liam Delap again in coaching, albeit not fairly able to return to first-team motion after a hamstring harm lay-off.
Commercial
Delap has been sidelined since August, and it was his blow that prompted Chelsea to recall Spaniard Guiu, 19, from his mortgage at Sunderland after simply three matches.
Sunderland are the guests to Stamford Bridge on Saturday and the sport comes simply too early for Delap, who may return to motion towards Wolves within the EFL Cup subsequent week.
Chelsea have relied on Joao Pedro as their primary striker, with Guiu but to start out for them within the Premier League this season, however he performed from the primary minute and scored towards Ajax within the Champions League on Wednesday.
“I had a chat with Marc two weeks in the past,” Maresca mentioned. “I informed him I did not like the way in which he was coaching and he wanted to alter. It modified and he obtained the possibility.
Commercial
“He was not coaching properly, in all of the methods. I do not know why, however that is generally the way in which with younger ones and you must go slowly with them.
“Since we chatted, it’s high and incredible and he’s working very properly.”
Guiu has featured instead in two Premier League matches, towards Liverpool and Nottingham Forest, the place his motion helped to create house for targets -including Estevao Willian’s late winner towards final season’s champions earlier than the worldwide break.
His involvement has additionally allowed Joao Pedro to shift to a quantity 10 position, the place Maresca believes he “performs higher”.
Commercial
Requested if Guiu may now begin his first Premier League sport of the season, Maresca mentioned: “Completely, sure. He is able to begin.”
Guiu’s unusual previous and unclear future
Guiu joined Chelsea in 2024 when the membership as he opted to not renew his contract with Barcelona.
Since then, he has scored six targets in seven Convention League matches however has but to seek out the web in home competitions, making simply three substitute appearances within the Premier League final season.
Guiu moved to Sunderland on mortgage shortly after Chelsea signed Joao Pedro for his or her Membership World Cup squad, following the sooner addition of Delap in the summertime.
Commercial
However Delap’s hamstring harm towards Fulham triggered a frantic deadline day.
Chelsea earlier than permitting his transfer to Germany and recalling Guiu from promoted Sunderland.
Sunderland supervisor Regis Le Bris spoke about shedding Guiu earlier than his workforce’s go to to Chelsea this weekend, saying: “We have been in a position to say sure as a result of we discovered one other answer.”
That answer was signing striker Brian Brobbey from Ajax for £21.6m on deadline day.
Regardless of the disruption, Chelsea and Sunderland preserve a optimistic relationship, amid discuss that Guiu may return to the Stadium of Gentle on mortgage in January.
Commercial
Nonetheless, Fifa guidelines restrict gamers to official matches for less than two golf equipment per season, so if out there in January, Guiu may solely keep at Chelsea or rejoin Sunderland.
Requested if Delap’s return to first-team duties would possibly immediate one other departure for Guiu, Maresca mentioned: “Oh my god, we’re in October. I do not know. In soccer, issues can change very fast for everybody, gamers and managers, so it’s tough to say.”