Enzo Maresca claims Noni Madueke available for Chelsea amid Arsenal transfer talks

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca says he has full confidence in Noni Madueke and will not hesitate to use the winger despite ongoing speculation about his future at the club.

Madueke, who has drawn interest from Arsenal and is reportedly on their summer transfer shortlist, came off the bench in Chelsea’s recent win over Palmeiras and played a key role in turning the game around.

Maresca made clear that Madueke remains firmly in his plans ahead of Chelsea’s upcoming Club World Cup semi-final against Fluminense.

“We had the same noise before Palmeiras, but we gave him half an hour, and he was very good. I have no doubt if we need Noni, he can help us. It’s not easy to deal with the noise, but hopefully he can,” Maresca said.

Meanwhile, Chelsea icon Thiago Silva – now playing for Fluminense – has revealed he’s been providing inside knowledge to his current team ahead of the high-stakes match.

At 40, Silva is still going strong and preparing to face his old club at the MetLife Stadium. He remains closely connected to Chelsea, having recently visited the training ground while in London.

“I’m trying to help the coaching staff with small details, things that will stay between us. I was saying earlier that I was in London not too long ago visiting my kids, went to some training sessions, you know,” Silva said.

Enzo Maresca says he doesn’t have any doubts about Noni Madueke’s frame of mind amid intense transfer “noise” linking him to Arsenal 👀🔵 pic.twitter.com/gKY9NnNbjZ

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“I don’t know Maresca that well, but I know a lot of the players there, and I talk to them pretty much every week, some of them are really close to me. I’m happy to have this matchup, and it’s going to be a special day for me, but it will be even more special if we manage to go through.”

Silva, who played a key role in Chelsea’s 2021 Champions League triumph and remains a fan favourite, now has the chance to help eliminate his former club from the competition and potentially face PSG – another of his old teams – in the final.

“It means a lot. Thank God, I was able to build a beautiful story with both of these clubs, Chelsea and PSG. And now, at what you could call the final stage of my career, I’m still living important moments and trying to help in the best way I can.

“It would be special to eliminate Chelsea, even with all the love I have for them, but when you’re on the pitch, you have to focus on your own team. I’m just really grateful for everything I went through there. It was a very special team in my life, where I won one of the biggest titles of my career, and facing them now definitely won’t be easy.

“After the tournament, my support for Chelsea and PSG will always be there. I’m forever grateful to those clubs, I did everything I could while I was there, and I’ll keep doing the same for Fluminense. Hopefully, we can get this qualification.”