Ben Chilwell has been told it would be best to leave Chelsea by head coach Enzo Maresca ahead of their Premier League opener against Manchester City on Sunday. 

Chilwell, who has made 106 appearances for the Blues since his reported £45m move from Leicester in 2020, has struggled with injuries in recent years. 

The 27-year-old featured 21 times in all competitions last season, missing 26 games with a hamstring injury which was then followed by a knee issue. 

His subsequent misfortune with injuries has seen him drop down the pecking order at Stamford Bridge, with Marc Cucurella impressing with Spain at Euro 2024. 

Chilwell played 64 minutes in Chelsea's six pre-season games, failing to feature in their final three fixtures before the new campaign against Real Madrid, Manchester City and Inter. 

“Chilly [Chilwell] is with us but he has not been training for the last few days because he has been ill,” Maresca said.

“The reason he did not play versus Inter was because, with Chilly it is quite clear, even though I love the way he is, the problem is, he is struggling a bit to find the right position.

“This morning we had 22 players training and if you ask all of them they will say they want to play against City on Sunday. But that is impossible.

"When you train every day and do not get any minutes it is not good for them or for me.

“I need to make a decision and probably it is better to leave and go and get minutes. The transfer window is open so we’ll see what happens.”

Chelsea kickstart their campaign against reigning champions City on Sunday in what will be Maresca's first competitive game in charge of the club. 

The Blues have continued to add during the transfer window, with Wolves' Pedro Neto the latest of nine new arrivals at Stamford Bridge. 

Maresca now has over 40 players in his squad despite the loan departure of Lesley Ugochukwu and the permanent sale of Diego Moreira earlier this week. 

“We spent 20 days in America with 28 or 29 players, so it was quite good to manage the squad,” Maresca added.

“Now we have guys who are not part of the squad and are training apart.

“At the moment, it is not difficult, but if I start to think I have 43 players, it’s not good.”

Lesley Ugochukwu has completed a season-long loan move to Southampton from Chelsea.

Ugochukwu, who made 15 appearances in all competitions for the Blues last season, was not registered in time for the Saints' Premier League opener against Newcastle. 

The 20-year-old arrived at Stamford Bridge last year in a reported £23.2m deal from Rennes but missed 20 Premier League games as he struggled with a hamstring issue.

He was welcomed to St. Mary's on the same day Cameron Archer sealed a £15m permanent switch from Aston Villa, with the pair adding to Russell Martin's ranks. 

The duo join 12 new faces on the South Coast, with the likes of Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Flynn Downes, Ben Brereton Diaz and Ronnie Edwards all signing in the window. 

“It was a very easy decision, Ugochukwu said. "They just came back to Premier League.

"When I heard Southampton, when I spoke to the gaffer as well, I said, 'I have to come here.'

“I’m just here to work hard and give everything for the fans and for myself as well.”

Head coach Russell Martin added: “Lesley is a brilliant athlete who has all the ingredients to be a really top player in the future, and we want to help him achieve that.

"He combines his size and power with real composure in possession.

“He’s another young player we’ve brought in who has sampled the Premier League already, which is important, and someone we feel can help us in the midfield area with the physicality that he brings to the game.”