Garnacho Ready To Start Against Ex-Club, Manchester United – Maresca

Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca has revealed that Alejandro Garnacho is ready to start his first game for the club against Manchester United on Saturday.

Garnacho swapped Old Trafford for Stamford Bridge on transfer deadline day in a £40m deal.

He has made two substitute appearances for the club against Brentford, and Bayern Munich.

Maresca is confident that he is now ready to start against his former club at Old Trafford.

He said: “In the last two games, he was very good when he came on. So, we are happy with the way he has adapted to our style and what we want from the winger. I think he is ready to start.”

The Italian manager also confirmed that Cole Palmer is fit after an injury scare against Bayern Munich.

Maresca said: “Yes, Cole is okay. We have a training session now where we will look at the players. We fley back yesterday [from Munich], so we needed to assess some of the guys before we made a decision for the weekend.

“We haven’t had a session since the game on Wednesday, we have some doubts but we will see after today’s training session.”

The former Leicester City manager also backed the club for not allowing the duo of Raheem Sterling, and Axel Disasi not to train with the first team.

Sterling and Disasi failed to secure moves away from Stamford Bridge before the transfer deadline.

The two players are training and eating alone and at different times to the rest of the team.

Maresca said: “I’ve been in Raheem’s situation and Axel’s situation as a player. I know that it’s not the best feeling, because if you’re a player it means you want to train and play.

“But for different reasons, the situation is what it is at this moment. I know that the club is giving them the opportunity to work in the right way, and this is the only thing I can say.

“It’s something you like to talk about but it’s not just Chelsea, it’s any club in the world, I can promise you.

“Italy, Spain, England, France, USA, Brazil, any country in the world. For any reason the player and the club don’t find a solution, if you are not involved in the squad you are not involved in the squad.”

Disasi was signed from Monaco in 2023, he has four years remaining on his contract, and spent the second half of last season on loan at Aston Villa.

Sterling, who had an unsuccessful loan spell at Arsenal last season, still has two years to run on the contract he signed in 2022.

Chelsea’s clash against Manchester United is slated for 5:30 pm Nigerian time on Saturday.