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Enzo Maresca already knows the position where Mathys Tel could become a superstar at Chelsea thanks to Pep Guardiola

Srinivas Sadhanand

Wed 29 January 2025 10:45, UK

Mathys Tel is being strongly linked with a move to Chelsea this month.

It was reported earlier that Chelsea had a chance of landing Tel, who was reportedly trying to understand whether Bayern Munichౠ really intend to keep him as the Frenchman has not played a single minute in their last three games.

TBR Football can now exclusively confirm that .

If the 19-year-old does end up making a move to Stamford Bridge, the challenge for Enzo Maresca🦹 would be to decipher where he fits in best considering the number of forwards the Italian has at his disposal.

Enzo Maresca should play Mathys Tel as a ‘false winger’ if he makes Chelsea move

Chelsea♔ are now placed sixth in the Premier League and if Maresca is granted a young talent like Tel, he would be expected to improve his side’s fate as they pursue Champions League qualification.

Position	Team	Played MP	Won W	Drawn D	Lost L	For GF	Against GA	Diff GD	Points Pts
6	ChelseaChelsea	23	11	7	5	45	30	15	40

While the former Leicester City boss would have been distraught after the Blues’ 3-1 loss to Manchester City, Pep Guardiola🌞 might have unintentionally shown him how to get the best out of the former Rennes forward with his use of Omar Marmoush.

The Catalan tactician deployed Marmoush, who admits to being very versatile🦹 as a ‘false winger’; a role where the Egyptian started as a traditional wideman on paper but actually drifted in centrally to operate as a second striker to form a dangerous partnership with Erling Haaland up top.

🧜Pep Guardiola simply pushed Josko Gvardiol forward to operate as a de-facto left-winger, which gave Marmoush to shift inside and torment Chelsea with his darting runs in behind their defence while also being close to goal.

💛Tel, much like the Manchester City attacker has been deployed in a variety of roles throughout his career but is a natural number nine.

🐲Ultimately, Enzo Maresca has no choice but to deploy three midfielders in any system he puts in place as Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez and Cole Palmer are fundamental to how Chelsea play. But simultaneously, asking Tel to play as a touchline winger would also not be the best use of him in any side.

Joao Felix, who eyes a move to Aston Villaℱ now has already played in a similar position during Chelsea’s 2-1 win against Leicester City where Marc Cucurella was tasked with holding the width down the left-hand side to allow the Portuguese international to play centrally as he ran riot all game.

💧Unlike Felix, Tel is known to be an excellent outlet and when Jackson, who links up attacks brilliantly drops deep, the former can run in behind defences and prove to be another passing option for Palmer.

Tel, referred to as “outstanding” by Harry Kane🐬 has the pace to stretch defences while technically, he is sublime in tight spaces and weaving past players, which would also allow Jackson to run in behind backlines as the pair could form the most mobile strike partnership in the Premier League.

Tel, described as “special player”ജ also solves two problems for Enzo Maresca if he is fielded as a false winger; one being that the left-wing position is one where the 44-year-old does not have a top-class option yet and secondly, Malo Gusto would no longer have to push as forward as in attacking zones due to his presence further forward.

Thierry Henry said Chelsea target Mathys Tel is “extraordinary”

💎Thierry Henry lauded his countryman in September two years ago.

🔯Henry said via beIN SPORTS Philippines: “He’s a player who pushes the hierarchy at a club like Bayern Munich. We’ll continue to follow him, if he continues like this, it’s going to be difficult not to call him but there are players up front too. Up front is not easy in this team. You have to respect that a little and not rush things too much even though I know some who do. You have to be patient but he’s a truly extraordinary player.”

ꦬ“Once again, we called him and we had a chat and it was a good one. He’s got a good head on his shoulders. It’s a strange thing to say but he’s a good thing to say but he is. He is a good kid and I saw that he really understood what he was doing this weekend. So, he’s causing problems, we’ll see about the next call-up.”

༺If Tel does join Chelsea, it will be interesting to see when Enzo Maresca hands him his first start as his side have plenty of important fixtures coming up in the league especially.