Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca told to drop two players as his first task

Chelsea have a new manager in Enzo Maresca after the club and former manager Mauricio Pochettino decided to part ways.

The Blues finished sixth in the Premier League and qualified for the Europa Conference League as Manchester United won the FA Cup and clinched the Europa League spot.

Chelsea were disappointing for a large part of the season and only managed to find their form in the last couple of months.

That was still not enough to save Pochettino’s job at the club and he has now been replaced by Italian manager Maresca.

Former Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel has an advise for the new Stamford Bridge boss.

Mikel has named Benoit Badiashile and Axel Disasi as the two players who are not good enough for Chelsea and the manager should look for world class options to strengthen the defense.

After the departure of Thiago Silva from the club at the end of the season, Chelsea will be actively looking in the market for new defenders.

“Thiago Silva is leaving, we need a couple of centre-halves,” Mikel said on The Obi One Podcast.

“I don’t think Benoit Badiashile is the guy for Chelsea, no.

“[Axel] Disasi, no. They’re still young players, they will develop. We need proven, two top centre-backs who will come in there and stabilise that back four. We need that. We need two world-class centre-halves.”

The Premier League club signed both the defenders on long term contracts from Ligue 1 side Monaco but they have so far had a disappointing time at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea need stability in defense

The Blues defense was the subject of criticism throughout the season as it failed to show maturity and composure in difficult situations.

The west Londoners need an experienced head at the back who can lead the young defenders and bring composure at the club.

Maresca likes to keep possession of the ball and he would be looking for ball playing defenders in the market this summer.