There were a lot of players Enzo Maresca excluded from his first-team squad at Chelsea last summer.
High-profile names such as Raheem Sterling and Ben Chilwell were exiled, though the latter was eventually brought back in from the cold before going out on loan to Chelsea‘s London rivals Crystal Palace.
Chelsea are now hoping to sell Chilwell and Sterling, but finding buyers for such high earners could be difficult.
The Blues also let some lower profile players leave the club in the previous summer transfer window.
Tino Anjorin scores incredible goal in Empoli’s 2-1 win against Parma
One of those lower profile players who was allowed to depart Stamford Bridge was Tino Anjorin.
The midfielder joined Serie A side Empoli and proved to be their match-winner on Saturday. With their game against Parma level at 1-1, Anjorin curled the ball into Parma’s net from outside the box in the 86th minute.
It is a moment the ex-Chelsea academy star will never forget and understandably so. It is good news for his former club, as they will want his stock to grow.
Chelsea will pocket 50% of Anjorin’s next transfer fee thanks to a sell-on clause included in the deal that saw him move to Italy last summer.
Since arriving there, the 23-year-old has made 20 appearances and scored two goals for Empoli. He has also managed to register three assists.
What Tino Anjorin said after leaving Enzo Maresca’s team
Anjorin was never bitter about not getting a real chance under Maresca or at Chelsea in general.
In an Instagram post, the former England U20 international wrote a heartfelt message thanking the club and the fans for their support down the years.
In that post, Anjorin said: “It’s been a great journey with many highs from training in the summer camp as a 6 year old boy to making my Champions League debut but it’s time for it to come to an end.
“I thank all the players I’ve played with, all the staff members that have developed and looked after me throughout all the years and the fans who have followed and supported my journey as a player! It’s been my home for as long as I can remember and wish Chelsea FC the best of luck for the future…”
Anjorin has had a few injury problems, so it is good to see him fit again and making an impact. And if he continues to do so and catches another team’s attention, again, Chelsea will profit from it.
