Chelsea midfielder sends warning to fans after nightmare first season

Chelsea midfielder Romeo Lavia is treating this year as his first proper season at the club after a nightmare first season with injuries – but warned fans not to expect miracles from Enzo Maresca’s young side.

Lavia snubbed Liverpool to make a £53m move to Stamford Bridge last summer but played just 32 minutes for Mauricio Pochettino’s side after a campaign riddled with injuries.

However, the Belgian looks set for a far more prominent role this campaign having impressed under new manager Enzo Maresca in pre-season.

Lavia has started all six games in pre-season, including their most recent 1-1 draw with Inter Milan, and will likely start at the base of midfield when the Blues welcome reigning Premier League champions Manchester City to Stamford Bridge on the opening weekend of the season.

Now hopefully free of his injury troubles, the 20-year-old is looking to make the most of this fresh start.

‘This will be my first proper season. Last season was frustrating because it was hard,’ he told reporters.

‘You’re young. You want to play. You’re getting to know your body, which is sometimes unfair because you feel like you’re doing everything right to get back but nature sometimes decides in a different way. I wouldn’t blame anything.’

After an impressive season returning Leicester City to the top flight, Maresca arrived at Chelsea after a topsy-turvy season for the Blues.

And with another flurry of young talent, the Italian has to wade his way through a bloated squad to find some consistency.

It is for that reason that Lavia has urged caution from the fans, suggesting his side are brimming with talent but nowhere near the finished article yet.

‘Chelsea is the one [side] that is growing,’ Lavia replied when asked why he chose to turn down Liverpool and join Chelsea.

‘You can see the bigger picture. When I saw a group of young, talented players that at their previous clubs had been the best players, it can only go well. Now I’m here, I realise it’s true.

‘We are building something amazing. Everyone at the club can feel it. Not just the players but everyone.

‘Manchester City and all the teams that have been successful, they needed years to do that. I’m not saying we need the same years but it’s definitely going to take time.’

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