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MARESCA’S HIDDEN WEAPON: WHY CHELSEA SECRETLY TRIGGERED THE WINTER RETURN OF AARON ANSELMINO
Chelsea is set to recall Aaron Anselmino from his Borussia Dortmund loan this January after the defender failed to hit a minutes threshold.
Looks like Borussia Dortmund might lose Aaron Anselmino in January. Turns out there's a clause in his loan deal with Chelsea that says Chelsea can call him back during the winter if he doesn't play enough minutes for Dortmund.
Chelsea's thinking about their options. They've got a bunch of injuries in their defence right now, with guys like Wesley Fofana and Levi Colwill getting hurt. Because of that, their coach, Maresca, is thinking about bringing Anselmino back early to have more players available in the New Year.
The young Argentine defender missed Dortmund's last two games of the year because of a thigh injury. That means he might not hit the minimum minutes needed to stop Chelsea from bringing him back to London.
Anselmino came to Germany as part of the deal that sent Carney Chukwuemeka to Dortmund. Dortmund paid about €20 million for Chukwuemeka. After getting over an early injury, Anselmino became a regular in Dortmund's back three, playing next to Nico Schlotterbeck and Waldemar Anton. Fans in Dortmund are already starting to really like him.
Dortmund wants to keep the talented defender.
So far, Anselmino has played in 10 of Dortmund's 22 games, for a total of 564 minutes. A few weeks ago, coach Niko Kovac seemed pretty sure that Anselmino wasn't going anywhere.
Everything's sorted with Chelsea, Kovac said. He's our player, and I think he'll stay with us until the end of the season.
He's a real fighter. When things get tough, he doesn't mess around. He gets the job done. That's what you need at this level: defenders who love to defend. He does that really well. I like players like that who are dedicated and passionate.
Even though Kovac sounded confident, Chelsea might have the upper hand now and could bring Anselmino back if Maresca wants him. But Dortmund doesn't think Chelsea will make a move right away. Plus, Dortmund is hoping that Anselmino wants to stay. Word is he's happy there and wants to stay even after 2025.
Anselmino's quick rise
Anselmino grew up playing for Boca Juniors in South America, joining them when he was 12. He made his first appearance with the senior team in 2023 and quickly became a regular at just 18 years old.
Because he broke into the Boca Juniors team so early, people saw him as one of the best young defenders in Argentina. Clubs in Argentina and other countries started paying attention to him. That attention grew even more in August 2024 when he was about to join Chelsea, who are always looking for young talent for the future.
Even though he's getting a lot of attention, Anselmino hasn't played for Argentina's youth or senior teams yet. But he's developing quickly and getting experience at the club level, so he should be ready to compete at the highest level in Europe soon. People expect him to get a chance in London.
His aggressive style of play has earned him the nickname "El Gratsche" from fans and some German media. Many consider him Dortmund's best loan signing of the season.
What's next for Anselmino?
It's not clear what will happen to him in the short term, but it looks like Anselmino will go back to Chelsea in the summer as planned. A permanent move to Dortmund doesn't seem likely since there's no option to buy him in the loan deal. But people think Dortmund will try hard to find a way to keep him, even if it's just for a few more months.
ENZO MARESCA CONFIRMS LIAM DELAP AND ESTEVAO RETURN FOR ASTON VILLA SHOWDOWN
Enzo Maresca confirms Liam Delap and Estevao are available for Chelsea as they host third-placed Aston Villa this Saturday.
Here's the lowdown on Chelsea's injuries before their game against Aston Villa. It's a big match—third place versus fourth!
Chelsea managed a decent 2-2 draw against Newcastle after being down by two goals. They're holding onto fourth place for now. But Liverpool's close behind, winning most of their recent games.
Chelsea wanted to compete for the league title, but they haven't been doing so well. They've only won one of their last five matches and are seven points behind Aston Villa. They'll need to play really well to get a good result against Villa, who are on a great run, having won ten straight games in all competitions.
In good news, Moises Caicedo is back in midfield after his suspension, and Cole Palmer is getting more playing time after his injury. Enzo Maresca has been missing players, but two could be back this weekend.
Here’s the latest on who’s hurt before this big game:
Will Liam Delap be fit?
Liam Delap, who joined in the summer, has been out for a month with a shoulder injury that he got against Bournemouth. It's been a rough start for him, as he also missed time with a hamstring issue earlier in the season.
But the shoulder problem isn't as bad as I first thought. He might be available against Aston Villa. Enzo Maresca told reporters that Liam is probably ready for Aston Villa.
Delap hasn't scored in his eight league games for Chelsea this season. His only goal was in the Champions League against Barcelona.
Romeo Lavia and Estevao Updates
Romeo Lavia is still out with a muscle injury and won’t be back until next year. He's had some problems since joining from Southampton, but is getting closer to being fit. He might even be on the bench against Manchester City on January 4.
Estevao is getting close to fitness. He's in the same shape as Delap and might be in the squad to play Aston Villa this weekend as he pushes to return from a muscle injury.
Dario Essugo is still waiting for his first game for the club. He hasn’t been in the squad since the third game because of an injury. No one knows how bad it is, and there's no date for his return.
Levi Colwill is likely out for most of the season with a bad ACL injury, which could affect his chances of playing in the World Cup. Mykhailo Mudryk is also still out for a while, as he's suspended for violating anti-doping rules.
BREAKING: CHELSEA ENTER RACE ANTOINE SEMENYO’S £65M CLAUSE EXPIRES JANUARY 10—BLUES MUST MOVE FAST
Chelsea has enquired about Antoine Semenyo. Can the Blues beat Man Utd to his £65m release clause?
Chelsea is looking at signing Antoine Semenyo from Bournemouth. Word is, the winger has a £65m release clause that kicks in this January—and Liverpool, Manchester City, and Manchester United are also after him.
Even though Chelsea didn't seem like a likely place for Semenyo to land, they've reached out to his representatives to get the info on a possible deal. They're feeling pretty good at Stamford Bridge that the Ghana player might be interested in joining them.
Chelsea's hoping Semenyo, who's from London originally, will dig their long-term plan and see he could quickly make a big impact on the team.
The Chelsea folks think the 25-year-old could bring something different to their lineup. Semenyo would bring some height plus some speed and strength. So far this season, he's scored eight goals and had three assists in the Premier League.
Chelsea’s got plenty of choices when it comes to attacking midfielders—Enzo Maresca can pick from guys like Cole Palmer, Jamie Gittens, Pedro Neto, Alejandro Garnacho, Estêvão Willian, João Pedro, and Facundo Buonanotte, who’s currently on loan from Brighton.
Still, the club likes that Semenyo can play a bunch of positions, and he's already proven he can play well in the Premier League. Semenyo is able to play on either wing and also up front as a striker.
Bournemouth's probably hoping to keep Semenyo around for the rest of the season. But hey, they've shown they're willing to sell off their best players before.
Their manager, Andoni Iraola, mentioned on Tuesday, "He practiced with us today and did great." I know there is talk about Antoine, but I'm worried it might affect him. But so far, his play hasn't been affected. He is loyal to the team, and I hope we are able to keep him.
Some things we just can't control. Right now, Antoine plays for us and will keep playing for us. Personally, I don't wish to lose him; I really don't wish to. Since the market opens, anything can happen.”
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