Reece James and Moises Caicedo respond to Ben Chilwell's message after he makes Strasbourg debut
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(Credit: Imago)
Jonathan Burnett
Mon 15 September 2025 18:46, UK
Ben Chilwell’s next career chapter is finally underway after he was frozen out of the first-team picture at Chelsea.
Maresca decided that Chilwell wouldn’t be part of Chelsea’s plans very early in his tenure at Stamford Bridge, and the 28-year-old was part of an ever-growing ‘bomb squad’ in the Italian’s first pre-season.
Chilwell featured just once for Chelsea last season – off the bench against Barrow in the EFL Cup – and was loaned out to Crystal Palace in January, becoming an FA Cup winner with Oliver Glasner’s side.
Crystal Palace elected to look elsewhere rather than sign Chilwell on a permanent deal, but Chelsea’s multi-club network allowed Maresca to move on his out-of-favour left-back for an undisclosed fee.
Credit: Imago
Newly-promoted Leeds had been in talks over a £10million deal for Chilwell before opting to sign Gabriel Gudmundsson and James Justin in the summer, but Chelsea were eventually able to seal an exit route.
Chelsea’s partnership with Todd Boehly-owned Strasbourg has enabled plenty of movement between the clubs this summer, with Mike Penders, Kendry Paez and Mamadou Sarr all loaned to the Ligue 1 side.
Ishe Samuels-Smith was sold to Strasbourg and bought again within little over two months, with Chelsea subsequently loaning the young left-back to Swansea in order to facilitate Chilwell’s move to Strasbourg.
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With his turbulent time in West London finally over, Chilwell made his Strasbourg debut against Le Havre on Sunday and posted on Instagram a day later to document his “new beginnings” away from Chelsea.
Penders responded with a ‘heart eyes’ emoji ahead of his return to Stamford Bridge next summer, while several of Chilwell’s ex-team mates in Reece James, Moises Caicedo and Levi Colwill each left a like.
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Football Insider Verdict
Multi-club models are nothing new in football, and the authorities have waded too far into their swamp-like nature to turn back the block on the several huge networks of different teams operating in tandem.
The Red Bull Group and City Football Group have both been successful at developing players across multiple continents, but Chelsea’s “ludicrous” dealings with Strasbourg may be looked into further.
Samuels-Smith and Chilwell’s simultaneous moves between Chelsea and Strasbourg were just two of several players to cross the channel as part of this network, but it remains to be seen if the Premier League and UEFA see them all as above-board.