Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has offered a candid assessment of new signing Mathis Amougou following his deadline day arrival from Saint-Etienne in the January transfer window.

The 19-year-old French defender has joined Chelsea as he embarks on his first experience in English football. Amougou has already been spotted training with the first team ahead of the Blues’ FA Cup fourth-round clash against Brighton, sparking hopes of his inclusion in the matchday squad.

However, Maresca has made it clear that Amougou is seen as a long-term prospect rather than an immediate contributor. “We didn’t sign him thinking he is going to play an important part with us [straight away],” Maresca said, as quoted by Chelsea’s official website. 

“The reason why is because of his age and because we need the process. We signed him because we think he’s a good player and in some moment—after a while—he can help us.”

Emphasising the importance of patience, Maresca added, “We saw that he could be a good player but now he needs to arrive here, adapt, process, and then we will see.” 

While Amougou’s debut may not come immediately, Chelsea fans will be eager to watch his development in the months ahead.