CHELSEA HEAD COACH Enzo Maresca will not jeopardise Ben Chilwell’s chances of finding a new club in January by risking him against Morecambe.

Saturday’s FA Cup third-round meeting at Stamford Bridge will likely see Maresca call on his second string as he has done in the Carabao Cup and in the Conference League, but that will not include the England defender, whom the 44-year-old confirmed is free to depart having played just 45 minutes this campaign.

Cesare Casadei and Carney Chukwuemeka, neither of whom have forced their way into the head coach’s Premier League selections, are also in line to leave and will not play against the League Two side.

“Chilwell is thinking he’s going to leave, it’s better to avoid using him to avoid injury,” said Maresca.

“Cesare will not be in the squad, same situation as Chilwell. It’s best in this moment not to allow him to play in case there’s opportunity for him to leave.”

Of the three, only Casadei has been the subject of concrete interest, with a number of Italian clubs reported to have made bids.

Reports on Friday suggested former Chelsea boss Graham Potter, who was appointed by West Ham this week, is keen to reunite with Chilwell at the London Stadium thereby rescuing the 28-year-old – who has made more than 100 appearances for the Blues since joining from Leicester in 2020 – from the limbo he has been in since Maresca took over.

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, who has made just five substitute appearances in the league since arriving in the summer, does have a future at Stamford Bridge, Maresca said.

The head coach would not be drawn on reports the club could be about to raid Crystal Palace’s defence in order to patch up holes in his own injury-shot back line.

Chelsea academy graduate Marc Guehi, who starred for England at Euro 2024, is a target while there is also the option to recall Trevoh Chalobah from his season-long loan at Selhurst Park.

Maresca is currently without Wesley Fofana, whose hamstring injury could see him miss the rest of the season, with Benoit Badiashile – considered the only other defender at the club with a similar profile to Fofana – out until February, though Reece James and Romeo Lavia are fit and could feature against Morecambe.