'Quite close' - Enzo Maresca admits he believes Chelsea have closed the gap to Premier League title challengers Liverpool & Arsenal

Last season, Maresca dismissed talk of Chelsea being Premier League title contenders even while sitting second in the table. Their form dipped after the turn of the year, and they only sealed Champions League qualification on the final day. However, victories in the Europa Conference League and Club World Cup have boosted belief within the squad, and Maresca believes that his side are closer to challenging the likes of Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City for the league title.

Speaking to the Men in Blazers YouTube channel, Maresca said: "I think one year ago, we were very far from the ones that dominated English football. And I think that now we are quite close, and hopefully we can continue to improve, and be even closer and try to compete for the title." He added: "When you are at Chelsea, the target has to be always to win games and titles. This is the minimum required. So we're going to try."

Chelsea’s resurgence over the past 12 months has been built on squad depth, tactical adjustments and the massive summer recruitment drive. Maresca’s confidence signals a shift in the Blues' mindset after years of inconsistency since Todd Boehly and BlueCo's takeover. Whether they can close the remaining gap to Liverpool and Arsenal will depend on maintaining form across the full league campaign.

The west London side will aim to build momentum in the early months of the season to stay in the title race. They begin their Premier League campaign with a clash against the recently-crowned Community Shield champions, Crystal Palace, on Sunday in what is certain to be a good test for the world champions.