Shearer makes Chelsea title prediction and tips Man Utd transfer target to leave

Chelsea ended Enzo Maresca's first season as head coach on a major high, finishing in the Champions League places, winning the UEFA Conference League and then winning the FIFA Club World Cup with a magnificent final victory over Paris Saint-Germain

Alan Shearer insists you'd have to be "very, very brave" to back against Chelsea being involved in the Premier League title race this season - as he hailed Enzo Maresca for the "magnificent" job he has done at Stamford Bridge.

The Italian coach, who arrived in west London last summer after leading Leicester City to the Championship title, came under widespread scrutiny last season - with his past relationship with Pep Guardiola, having worked as a coach at Manchester City previously seeing him cruelly being dubbed 'Diet Pep' in some quarters.

But Chelsea finished the 2024-25 campaign strongly, finishing in the Champions League places, winning the UEFA Conference League and then brushing aside European champions Paris Saint-Germain with a magnificent final display to win the FIFA Club World Cup.

Impressively, Maresca has done that while club chiefs continue to spend big in the transfer market on adding more young talent to the Premier League's youngest squad. Jamie Gittens, Liam Delap, Dario Essugo, Mamadou Sarr and £60m striker Joao Pedro have all already arrived, while a number of players - including Noni Madueke and Christopher Nkunku - are set to depart.

Maresca, vocally backed by Cole Palmer after the win over PSG in New York, has been working on ironing out his side's inconsistencies and getting his side, tactically and mentally, to a point where they can challenge the likes of Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City in a title battle again - and not just cup competitions. And former England captain Shearer believes the Blues boss may well have done just that.

"I think it would take a very, very brave person to say that Chelsea would not be involved in the title hunt next year because of what they’ve achieved this season, what they’ve just achieved [winning the Club World Cup], who they’ve signed, who they will sign,’ Shearer said on the latest episode of The Rest Is Football.

"I think you have to say that they will be involved in the title race."

Speaking about Maresca and the Club World Cup final, Shearer added: "It was a masterclass from Maresca because PSG went in, their football has worked all season and why not? Why should they change anything?

"But I think the little tweaks from Maresca, they’re pressing high and all those things, and I just think it worked perfectly for them and he deserves huge credit, not only for the job he’s done in this competition, but for the whole season.

"I don’t think anyone knew what to expect because you know what happens at Chelsea, it’s happened before: if you don’t win things, you know exactly what happens.

"You’re in there for a reason and know how it’s going to work. He’s done a magnificent job, he really has."

One player who could also depart in the coming weeks, potentially, is Nicolas Jackson. The Senegal striker was Maresca's main man last season, but has been sent off twice in recent months and has seen both Joao Pedro - who made an outstanding start to life as a Blue in the USA - and Liam Delap arrive at the club.

Now the former Villarreal forward is being linked with a move away, with Manchester United monitoring his situation as they continue to look for a new No.9 and suggestions Chelsea could deal for around £50million.

Shearer admits: "As soon as [Joao] Pedro came in and scored the two goals and Delap’s already there, if there’s one person that’s going to be shifted out then my guess it would be Jackson.

"It wouldn’t surprise me if they’ve already offered him to other football clubs and they’ve enquired about it."