Guiu changes his ways after Maresca rebuke

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca believes being ruthless with Marc Guiu has changed the teenage striker for the better after telling him he was unhappy "in all the ways" with his training efforts.

Maresca has summer signing Liam Delap back in training, albeit not quite ready to return to first-team action after a hamstring injury lay-off.

Delap has been sidelined since August, and it was his blow that prompted Chelsea to recall Spaniard Guiu, 19, from his loan at Sunderland after just three matches.

Sunderland are the visitors to Stamford Bridge on Saturday and the game comes just too early for Delap, who could return to action against Wolves in the EFL Cup next week.

Chelsea have relied on Joao Pedro as their main striker, with Guiu yet to start for them in the Premier League this season, but he played from the first minute and scored against Ajax in the Champions League on Wednesday.

"I had a chat with Marc two weeks ago," Maresca said. "I told him I didn't like the way he was training and he needed to change. It changed and he got the chance.

"He was not training well, in all the ways. I don't know why, but that's sometimes the way with young ones and you need to go slowly with them.

"Since we chatted, it is top and fantastic and he is working very well."

Guiu has featured as a substitute in two Premier League matches, against Liverpool and Nottingham Forest, where his movement helped to create space for goals -including Estevao Willian's late winner against last season's champions before the international break.

His involvement has also allowed Joao Pedro to shift to a number 10 role, where Maresca believes he "plays better".

Asked if Guiu could now start his first Premier League game of the season, Maresca said: "Absolutely, yes. He is ready to start."

Guiu's strange past and unclear future

Guiu joined Chelsea in 2024 when the club triggered a £5m release clause as he opted not to renew his contract with Barcelona.

Since then, he has scored six goals in seven Conference League matches but has yet to find the net in domestic competitions, making just three substitute appearances in the Premier League last season.

Guiu moved to Sunderland on loan shortly after Chelsea signed Joao Pedro for their Club World Cup squad, following the earlier addition of Delap in the summer.

But Delap's hamstring injury against Fulham triggered a frantic deadline day.

Chelsea initially blocked Nicolas Jackson's medical at Bayern Munich before allowing his move to Germany and recalling Guiu from promoted Sunderland.

Sunderland manager Regis Le Bris spoke about losing Guiu before his team's visit to Chelsea this weekend, saying: "We were able to say yes because we found another solution."

That solution was signing striker Brian Brobbey from Ajax for £21.6m on deadline day.

Despite the disruption, Chelsea and Sunderland maintain a positive relationship, amid talk that Guiu could return to the Stadium of Light on loan in January.

However, Fifa rules limit players to official matches for only two clubs per season, so if available in January, Guiu could only stay at Chelsea or rejoin Sunderland.

Asked if Delap's return to first-team duties might prompt another departure for Guiu, Maresca said: "Oh my god, we are in October. I don't know. In football, things can change very quick for everyone, players and managers, so it is difficult to say."