"That would be a concern for Enzo Maresca" - Pundit makes worrying Chelsea prediction for next season 

Craig Burley believes Chelsea have made a mistake by not signing a player who can make a difference on the pitch. He is a fan of Liam Delap but does not see the striker as the one to lead the club back to the top of the Premier League next season.

Speaking on ESPN FC, Burley said that Chelsea cannot become an elite team again unless they sign a superstar. The pundit is convinced that Liverpool and Arsenal are looking to bring in elite strikers, while the Blues are only going after the young prospects.

He said via TBR Football:

"I played with Liam's dad, Rory, and Liam Delap is a good player, and my God, he's got the heart of a lion, and he's physical, but he was at Man City, and that's where Enzo Maresca knows him from as a kid. He did great at Ipswich, but this is a huge step. And when we talk about the elite-level teams in England needing to go to the next level, they're all looking for these strikers, Man United, even Liverpool, Arsenal, they're all looking for elite strikers that are game changers, that are job savers." "And you know, I just don't think Liam Delap is going to be that for him (Enzo). And if I'm a Chelsea fan, I have as much trepidation about next season as I had about last. There's nothing that has convinced me that it's going to be any more consistent there. There's nothing that convinced me that they're going to take a step forward. Liverpool, how do you take a step forward?" "You go out and you make a statement, and you sign one of the most creative players in world football. That's a statement. Arsenal need to make a statement. And I feel Chelsea have not, and that would be a concern for Enzo Maresca, and quite frankly, if they fell out of the top four next year, I wouldn't be surprised."

Chelsea have signed Liam Delap this summer and are still looking to add another striker. The Blues have been linked with Hugo Ekitike, while Victor Osimhen, Benjamin Sesko, and Viktor Gyokeres were also said to be on the wishlist for the club.

Chelsea finished last season with a trophy and Champions League qualification

Enzo Maresca had a rough first season at Chelsea but managed to finish on a high. The Blues won the UEFA Conference League and finished 4th in the Premier League table, qualifying for the UEFA Champions League.

They have also signed Mamadou Sarr and Dário Essugo this summer, while bids for Mike Maignan and Jamie Gittens were rejected. They wanted to bolster the squad before the FIFA Club World Cup but could not get the two players signed.

Maresca's side managed to win their first match of the Club World Cup with ease - a 2-0 win over LAFC, with Pedro Neto and Enzo Fernandez scoring. However, they were beaten 3-1 by Flamengo in the next match and now need to beat ES Tunia to qualify for the next round.

Edited by Vaishnavi Iyer