But the club needs to move forward and Maresca's comeback has to be a footnote in the big picture. While it was a successful, brief spell - even if there were some grumblings about the patient style last term - there is little point dwelling on the past.

Chelsea are set to offload Cesare Casadei during the January transfer window, with the 21-year-old’s departure described as “inevitable” by Italian media.Casadei has made just 15 senior appearances for Chelsea since his move from Inter Milan in 2022,

Chelsea return to action when they make the trip to Leicester on Saturday, marking Enzo Maresca's return to the King Power Stadium for the first time since his departure