Change needed to 'protect' academy players - Maresca

When clubs sell academy graduates the entire transfer fee goes down as 'pure profit' in their accounts and can help them navigate the top flight's strict profit and sustainability rules.

Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher, 24, who has been at the club since he was eight, has agreed to join Atletico Madrid in a £33m deal.

Mason Mount (£55m), Lewis Hall (£28m), Ruben Loftus-Cheek (£15m), Ian Maatsen (£35m), Callum Hudson-Odoi (£5m) and Billy Gilmour (£7.5m) are among the other academy players to be sold by the club in the last 12 months, with Armando Broja and Trevoh Chalobah widely expected to join them.

The sales have helped Chelsea spend a world-record sum of well over £1bn in the past four transfer windows to revamp the squad with young players.

When asked whether the Blues risk upsetting supporters by selling popular academy players, Maresca said: "But this is not Chelsea's problem, these are the rules. All the clubs at this moment are compelled to sell players from the academy because of the rules. It's all of the Premier League clubs' problems.

"It's not only us, it's all the Premier League clubs. It's a shame because in Italy, we have [Francesco] Totti with Roma, 20 years with the same club - one club man. We love that in football, the fans want to see that. But with the rules now it is different than the past.

When pressed whether Chelsea's spending has put them in this position, he replied: "Yeah, but it is not only Chelsea spending money on players. It's all the big clubs to try and buy players.

"Some of the clubs spend more, some spend less. My personal opinion is it's a shame because we like to see a one club man but the rules are different."

He was then asked whether the rules need changing and said: "If they want to protect academy players, then probably yes."

Premier League clubs have agreed to trial an alternative financial system which operates like a spending cap in the 2024-25 season.

Chelsea had offered Gallagher a two-year deal with an option for an extra year, but it was deemed unfavourable by the England international due to both the length of the contract and the inferior squad role offered.

A natural divide had emerged between Gallagher and Chelsea as he was believed to be a poor fit for new manager Enzo Maresca's possession-based style of play and would not be a regular starter under the Italian.

"Nobody is going to be a regular starter because if I say someone is going to be a regular starter, I think it is a lack of respect," added Maresca.

"For them, they need to work day by day very hard and show me and convince me they are to play, but nobody knows."

"In this moment, there is something between the club and the player - an agreement to stay or to leave. These kinds of things happen in every club, every summer and in the end the final decision will be good for everyone. Hopefully the final decision will be good for Conor and the club."

-BBC