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“Kudus to Chelsea?”- Chelsea Manager Enzo Maresca Breaks Silence on Kudus. West Ham Star Set for Shock Exit?
Enzo Maresca’s Comments Spark Fresh West Ham–Chelsea Transfer Speculation
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has made headlines once again with comments that could have major implications for Premier League rivals West Ham United.
Over the years, the two London clubs have shared a number of players—Emerson Palmieri, Kurt Zouma, Victor Moses, and Yossi Benayoun, to name a few.
But while it’s common to see Chelsea players head to the London Stadium for more minutes, it’s been over two decades since a player made the reverse move. That was Joe Cole in 2003.
Now, Chelsea are reportedly keen to end that drought by pursuing West Ham star Mohammed Kudus.
Meanwhile, West Ham have set their sights on Chelsea’s out-of-favour goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic, potentially paving the way for a player-plus-cash deal.
Maresca’s latest remarks appear to support such a scenario.
Chelsea Open to Petrovic Exit, Eye Wide Forward
Maresca confirmed this week that Petrovic, valued at around £25 million, is not in Chelsea’s long-term plans. He also made it clear that the club is actively looking to sign a wide attacker—though he didn’t mention Kudus by name.
“We had almost an entire season without Misha [Mudryk],” Maresca said, amid reports that the Ukrainian could face a four-year ban for an alleged doping violation.
“We’re going for a winger—not because of Misha, but because it’s a position we clearly need to strengthen.”
Kudus, although not a traditional winger, has spent much of his time at West Ham and Ajax operating in wide roles, as well as centrally as a No.10 or second striker.
His versatility could make him an ideal fit at Stamford Bridge, potentially as a replacement for the injury-prone Christopher Nkunku rather than a direct rival to wingers like Noni Madueke.
West Ham Eye Petrovic as Goalkeeper Shake-Up Looms
At the same time, West Ham continue their search for a new goalkeeper, and Petrovic has emerged as a viable option.
Chelsea’s pecking order under Maresca appears set, with Robert Sanchez named the No. 1, Filip Jorgensen as backup, and Belgian youngster Mike Penders also in the mix.
Despite being described as “world-class” by Strasbourg boss Liam Rosenior after a successful loan in Ligue 1, Petrovic finds himself surplus to requirements at Chelsea.
Meanwhile, West Ham manager Graham Potter is reportedly a fan of Southampton’s Alex McCarthy and Arsenal’s Aaron Ramsdale. Freiburg’s Noah Atubolu is also on the club’s radar.
However, Alphonse Areola, who had been linked with a return to La Liga, will not be joining Espanyol.
Kudus–Petrovic Swap Still on the Table?
Earlier this month, Hammers News revealed that Potter rejected the chance to sign Jadon Sancho—who featured on Chelsea’s left wing last season—in a proposed swap deal.
But with talks still ongoing, a Kudus-for-Petrovic deal could be revisited, especially as both clubs look to fine-tune their squads before pre-season begins.
In addition to Kudus and Petrovic, a number of other names have surfaced in transfer discussions between the two clubs, including Tosin Adarabioyo, Axel Disasi, Trevoh Chalobah, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, and Robert Sanchez.
As things stand, Maresca’s comments suggest that Chelsea are serious about reinforcing their attack—while also streamlining their goalkeeping department.
Whether that opens the door for Kudus to become the first player in 22 years to swap claret for Chelsea blue remains to be seen.
