“I was wrong to have allowed him to play. He was just wasting the efforts of his teammates. I’m going to keep him on the bench till he leaves Chelsea for good” – This is according to Chelsea’s Manager Enzo Maresca as he acknowledges that he made a significant mistake with Chelsea’s £50m player.

Enzo Maresca has explained his decision to reintegrate Ben Chilwell at Chelsea after initially considering him surplus to requirements.

The defender was placed on the transfer list over the summer but remained at Stamford Bridge and now seems to have been given a second chance.

Maresca initially informed Chilwell that he would struggle for playing time this season, opening the door for his departure.

Although Chelsea were eager to move him on, a permanent transfer didn’t materialize, and a potential loan move to Turkey also fell through.

Enzo Maresca has addressed his decision to reintegrate Ben Chilwell at Chelsea after previously considering him surplus to requirements.

The defender had been put up for sale during the summer, but after remaining at Stamford Bridge, he now seems to have been given a second chance.

Maresca initially informed Chilwell that he would struggle for game time this season, encouraging him to find a new club.

Although Chelsea were keen to offload him, a permanent transfer didn’t materialize, and a potential loan move to Turkey also fell through.

Chilwell was named on the bench for the midweek match against Barrow, coming on at half-time and even taking the captain’s armband.

During Friday’s press conference, Maresca was asked whether he had made a mistake by advising Chilwell to seek a move away.

“In the moment, we need him, absolutely,” said the Chelsea manager. “Why not? As I’ve said before, he’s with us, he’s a Chelsea player, and one of our own.

“If we need him, we’ll give him opportunities and minutes. We all make mistakes. I had to make a decision, and sometimes they work out, sometimes they don’t.

There was no bad intention on my part; it was simply about trying to do what was best for the club.”

It remains uncertain whether Chilwell will feature when Chelsea host Brighton at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.

He made 21 appearances across all competitions last season but spent much of the time sidelined with injuries.

Maresca also discussed Romeo Lavia, who missed most of last season due to a thigh injury. Despite impressing in summer friendlies, Lavia faced another setback after suffering a hamstring injury against Servette in the Conference League.

Now fully fit, Maresca confirmed that Lavia would be included in the squad for the Brighton match, provided there are no issues during Friday’s training session.

“Romeo is available for tomorrow,” he said. “The only injured player is Reece [James]. We’ll see if he plays tomorrow. One more training session and we’ll decide, but he’s finally back.”