Enzo Maresca handed £55m boost as Chelsea star pushes for Nottingham Forest decision

The left wing spot is without doubt one of the most uncertain positions in an Enzo Maresca Chelsea line-up. The Blues have played 10 matches in all competitions this season and Pedro Neto has been the most common starter on the left-hand side, starting 50% of the matches, but in recent weeks, it has changed somewhat.

Alejandro Garnacho has started the last two matches for Chelsea against Benfica and then Liverpool and has shown glimpses of his talent in the process. Neto is undoubtedly more of a threat from the right wing, where he can cut in onto his dangerous left foot, while the likes of Jamie Gittens and Garnacho are natural left-sided wingers.

Neto's ability to play on the left flank has massively helped Maresca during his time at Stamford Bridge but every time the Portugal international is used out there, it feels like Chelsea are sacrificing having him on the right instead, where he has played his best football since signing from Wolves in the summer of 2024. Garnacho's recent appearances will surely help Neto and the Blues in that regard, but you cannot help but feel there is still something missing from the Argentine's game.

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That will hopefully come. Maresca thinks it will. Garnacho is not fully fit yet, but in these last 10-or-so days, the former Manchester United winger has been working at Chelsea's training base in Cobham while others have been off on international duty.

One of those on international duty has been Gittens - and what a period this has been for the newly-signed Chelsea winger. Yet to showcase his talent at Stamford Bridge, the 21-year-old has featured strongly for England Under-21s in their victories away at Moldova and at home to Andorra in recent days.

Gittens, who was signed from Borussia Dortmund over the summer for a total package worth £55million, opened the scoring in the Young Lions' 4-0 win in Moldova last week and he continued such form into Monday evening's victory against Andorra at Pride Park. The young winger set up his Chelsea teammate Tyrique George, who was used as the sole No.9 for the hosts, to score the only goal of the game in Derby.

George finished from a tight angle, excellently, after some equally brilliant work from Gittens on the left-hand side. A direct and tricky run that summed up Gittens' evening. He finished the match with one assist, an 89% pass accuracy, three chances created, five out of eight successful take-ons and seven out of 13 ground duels won.

England U21s boss Lee Carsley said this on the Chelsea wide man: "You always want to be a bit of a spark for the players to get them regular minutes and build confidence in them that they've got the durability to bang out minutes and Jamie is definitely in that bracket. You saw tonight he's very exciting, as is Josh King, and we're very lucky to have Ethan Nwaneri on the other side."

Gittens will be hoping Maresca has been paying close attention to his progress over the international break as he bids for a place in the starting line-up for Saturday afternoon's trip to Nottingham Forest in the Premier League. Garnacho, though, having been working closely with the head coach during the break, will also be desperate for his third successive start for the Blues.