Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca: ‘No rush to decide on Jadon Sancho Manchester United loan deal’
Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca has insisted there is no rush to decide on Jadon Sancho’s future after the South Londoner rescued a point in a 2-2 draw with relegation-bound Ipswich on Sunday.
The Blues went behind after 19 minutes at Stamford Bridge when Julio Enciso poked Ben Johnson’s cross past Robert Sanchez.
Ex-West Ham defender Johnson doubled Town’s lead on the half-hour mark to net his first of the season.
Axel Tuanzebe turned the ball into his own net at the start of the second half and then Manchester United loanee Sancho curled an effort from distance into the top corner in the 79th minute.
Chelsea have a £5million get-out clause from signing Sancho on a permanent deal this summer.
The Blues would have to pay an obligation in the region of £25million to sign the Camberwell-born ex-Borussia Dortmund player full-time.
“He’s doing well,” said Maresca. “Today we decided to start with Pedro and Noni (Madueke). Noni was back from injury and Pedro is doing well. Jadon is playing almost every game. The idea was to refresh him a little bit, knowing that he was give us a good moment – a goal or an assist.
“He showed that in the second half. Now is not the moment to talk about his future. With one month to go, the focus is about how we can finish and then we will have time to decide.”
Chelsea also suffered a 2-0 defeat at Portman Road earlier in the season.
Maresca’s side have dropped out of the top five Champions League spots, with rivals Manchester City and Newcastle both winning at the weekend.
Chelsea have gone the last two seasons without midweek elite European nights in SW6.
“We will see at the end of the season,” said Maresca, when asked if the results against Ipswich could cost Chelsea Champions League football. “Hopefully no. But we are the same as the six or seven other clubs that we are involved in the battle for Champions League football with – we’re going to win games and we’re going to drop points. It’s normal.
“Today was tough. Their first goal changed the dynamic of the game. We were in control for the first 20 minutes but we missed our chances. After that we were not good enough in the first half.
“ In the second half, we came back in the game. You don’t expect to drop points, especially with the way we started the game.
“It was a matter of when we were going to score, but we conceded the goal and it completely changed the dynamic of the game.”