Enzo Maresca backs "fantastic" summer signing to shine for Chelsea amid Mykhailo Mudryk doubt

Enzo Maresca is backing “fantastic” Joao Felix to make a big impact for in the coming weeks but the head coach admits he has no idea when Mykhailo Mudryk will start living up to expectations.

Chelsea’s fringe players will get another opportunity to impress away to Panathinaikos tonight. And Maresca is convinced that Felix - signed permanently in August for £42m after an indifferent loan spell the season before last - will soon begin to shine.

“Since he arrived, he has done very well for us,” said Maresca. “He’s doing fantastic. I’ve nothing bad to say about Joao. Everything I can say are good things. “The only thing Joao can do is continue how he is working and hopefully soon we can give him more chances and more minutes.”

Felix, for his part, was sold on Maresca’s vision despite knowing “the competition for places would be hard.” He will start in Athens but the 24-year-old Portuguese says more involvement in the league “is just a matter of time.”

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But Maresca was more reserved when asked about Mudryk, who has made only one league start this season. Having arrived in a deal worth up to £89million 22 months ago, the star has been unable to nail down a starting spot.

And after the chief executive of his former club Shakhtar Donetsk claimed earlier this week that he is a “Ferrari, [Chelsea] don't know how to drive it”, Maresca is unable to say when the 23-year-old will start producing regularly.

“When? I don’t know. The only thing I can say is we try to work with Misha every day. Hopefully he can get better and better. He’s doing well but there are more players doing well. The most important thing for us is that when they get the chance, they take it.”

Cole Palmer, and Malo Gusto are among those to have remained in London - alongside teenager Josh Acheampong because of a contract stand-off.

He has 18 months remaining on his deal but talks about an extension have stalled, leading to Chelsea’s chiefs sidelining him until a resolution is found.

Maresca added: “It’s a shame because I really think Josh is potentially a top player. He’s 18, still very young, so many things can change for him. But in terms of the future he can be very important for Chelsea.

“We need to find a solution about his contract, his future. The most important thing at this age is to get minutes, enjoy and play forward.

“It’s a bad situation at the moment for him. I don’t know if the people trying to solve the problem are helping him or not. I’d really like to have him here but it’s not possible.”

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