In an interview with BBC Sport, Ben Chilwell (28) has revealed his reaction following his departure from Chelsea. The England international has since joined the Blues’ sister club Strasbourg on a free transfer and remained under the same ownership group. 

After winning the UEFA Champions League in 2021, the former Leicester City defender played a major part in the Premier League club’s modern success. Chilwell made 107 appearances for the West London outfit, scoring 9 goals and winning two trophies. Struggling for minutes under the management of Enzo Maresca, the Englishman joined Crystal Palace on loan last season and won the FA Cup.  

When asked about his relationship with the Chelsea manager, the 28-year-old said, “I’ve never had anything against Enzo Maresca. I told everyone how much I respected the fact that he was honest, because at least then I could just go, ‘all right, cool, I’m not wanted.” The Italian manager’s decision not to involve the left-back forced him to consider his future and look for opportunities elsewhere. 

Commenting on the former Leicester City head coach’s decision, he said, “Of course I wasn’t happy with the decision – I didn’t agree with it, but I respected it.” Chilwell believes the decision was made over doubts of his ability to play an inverted role, “I definitely feel like I suffered from it, but I also completely knew I could have done the role.”