by Chelsea is not planning to make an offer for Kevin De Bruyne, despite head coach Enzo Maresca’s desire to add more experience to the team. The Belgian will leave Manchester City this summer and will be available as a free agent.
De Bruyne has already established himself as one of the best foreign players in Premier League history, and was once on Chelsea’s roster. However, the club allowed him to leave at a young age, after which he returned to England and became a star at City. The playmaker is now 33 years old, and there are doubts about whether he and Cole Palmer can effectively play together in the same team.
Maresca’s transfer plans are likely to depend on whether Chelsea qualifies for the Champions League. In the final weeks of the season, five teams are competing for three Champions League spots.
Meanwhile, Chelsea considered signing Virgil van Dijk before he extended his contract with Liverpool. The Dutchman is also 33 years old, like De Bruyne, but the club believes that van Dijk does not show signs of slowing down as much as the Belgian, according to the Telegraph.
Instead of acquiring older players like De Bruyne, Chelsea is focusing on selecting players who already have solid first-team experience despite their relatively young age.
Enzo Maresca noted that next year the team will be more experienced and able to achieve better results. In his view, having experience provides an additional advantage, and players who are currently struggling due to their youth will be stronger next year thanks to the experience they have gained.
