Chelsea transfer 'collapses' as Enzo Maresca faces another awkward 'bomb squad' reunion

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca faces awkward talks with one of his outcasts after David Datro Fofana’s move to AEK Athens fell through at the 11th hour. The Ivorian forward, who has made just four club appearances since his move from Molde, seemed certain to leave after reportedly agreeing terms with the Greek Super League club.

Fofana, 21, was set to join on an initial season-long loan deal, with AEK having the option to pay £20million to make the deal permanent next summer.

However, on the final day of the Greek transfer window, the move failed to go through, with talks between the two clubs appearing to break down at a crucial stage.

The 2022/23 Super Lig champions reportedly sought to change the terms of the initial agreement. Seemingly unhappy at the new proposed arrangement, Chelsea pulled the plug on releasing the player.

It leaves Fofana facing the possibility of five months in limbo after Maresca made it clear he wasn’t part of his plans. The striker was one of around 20 players forced to train away from the first team – in what was dubbed the ‘bomb squad’ – alongside the likes of Ben Chilwell and Raheem Sterling, before the latter’s move to Arsenal.

Maresca now faces the conundrum of another unwanted star on his hands. Chelsea have already got 11 players off the books this summer, with a host of others having gone out on loan.

However, 11 players have also arrived at Stamford Bridge in another chaotic transfer window. At one point, the London club had a mammoth 42 players on the senior books, leaving the Italian manager to angrily deny suggestions his work was being impacted by the numbers.

“I am not working with 42 players. I am working with 21 players,” he said. “The other 15 to 20 players are training apart. I don’t see them. It’s not a mess like it looks from outside. Absolutely not.”

Fofana scored 24 times in 65 games for Molde, helping them to Eliteserien and Norwegian Cup success. He arrived at Chelsea for an undisclosed fee in January 2023, during a window in which Todd Boehly splashed out more than £320million on new players.

But the following summer, he was sent on loan to Union Berlin. After that deal was caught short, he returned to England and duly joined Burnley for the second half of the 2023/24 season.

And he briefly thrived under Vincent Kompany, scoring four times in 15 appearances. But after the Clarets were relegated, Fofana vowed to head back to Chelsea to fight for his first team place.