Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca on Wednesday admitted Jadon Sancho “could do better” but was non-committal over the forward’s future at Stamford Bridge.
Reports last week said Chelsea were willing to sign the winger on a permanent deal from Manchester United despite a £5 million ($6.5 million) clause that would allow them to cancel the agreement.
Sancho moved to Stamford Bridge on loan in August in a deal that reportedly included an obligation for Chelsea to buy the player for between £20 and £25 million.
But after a promising start to life at the club the 25-year-old’s form has dipped and details have emerged of a way out for the London club if they paid a cancellation fee.
With just two goals in all competitions and none since December, Sancho has struggled to hold down a regular place in Maresca’s side as they chase qualification for next season’s Champions League.
Maresca, whose fourth-placed team host Tottenham on Thursday, was asked at his pre-match press conference whether he wanted to sign Sancho permanently.
“All the players that are with us, I love all of them,” he said. “But in this moment, it’s the moment to finish well and then it’s not the moment to think about next season.
“I’m completely focused about nine games, two months to go. I’m completely focused about that. Then what happens in summer, we’ll see.”
The Chelsea manager was pressed on what Sancho needed to do to prove himself.
“For me, Jadon’s situation doesn’t change,” he said. “He’s exactly the same. For sure, in terms of numbers, he could do better, no doubt.
“But it’s not just about Jadon. I think we have more players in the same situation. Now, I don’t need to give Jadon a message because I speak with Jadon every day.
“I had a conversation yesterday with him. He has just to continue to give his best until the end.”
The Italian, in his first season at Stamford Bridge, played down the significance of his decision last week to cancel a day off after his senior players lost to the under-21s in training.
“It’s nothing,” he said. “Since I joined the club, I always demand high standards. International break, no official game, not many players here.
“The day after off, sometimes it’s normal to be a little bit relaxed, but because I don’t allow this we decided the day after to train. But it’s nothing strange or nothing new.”
Maresca said a win against struggling Tottenham would be a boost for the final stages of the season, with just nine league games to go.
“From that win, probably you can build momentum until the end. But from now on, they are all important games,” he said.
Attacking trio Cole Palmer, Noni Madueke and Nicolas Jackson are all available for selection again after missing recent matches because of injury.
