"I rediscover this joy of playing football" - Ex-Chelsea star on life following exit from Stamford Bridge in the summer

Chelsea have signed several new players under Enzo Maresca but they were equally ruthless in offloading players over the summer. One of those who left the Blues is Diego Moreira, who joined FC Strasbourg and is seemingly enjoying life in France.

Moreira, who is a winger by trade, signed for Chelsea last season after his contract with Benfica expired. He made just one appearance for the club under Mauricio Pochettino in the EFL Cup clash against AFC Wimbledon before being loaned to Olympique Lyon in September 2023.

Opportunities were certainly limited for the Portuguese youngster, as he made only nine appearances across all competitions before being recalled by Chelsea in January. However, Pochettino didn’t use him after that and the club eventually sold him to FC Strasbourg over the summer.

Under head coach Liam Rosenior, Moreira’s career now seems to have taken a positive turn. Surprisingly, he has been deployed as a left-back, where his pace and attacking ability have greatly benefited the French side. Strasbourg are currently seventh in the Ligue 1 table, with Moreira having scored once and provided an assist in just five starts so far.

For Moreira, this move appears to be the right one. He described leaving Chelsea as a “relief” and praised Rosenior for the impact he’s had on his development.

“Since I got here, it’s been a relief. I rediscover this joy of playing football, of having fun. Then everything is great: the coach, the club, the infrastructure, the quality of life, the city," he said to La Derniere Heure (via The Chelsea Chronicle).

From Chelsea’s perspective, selling the 20-year-old will likely be regarded as the right decision, given the limited opportunities he would have had due to their depth in wide positions.

Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca sees squad depth as a key strength

Chelsea faced significant criticism when they signed several players, particularly in the attacking department. The arrivals of Pedro Neto, Joao Felix, and Jadon Sancho in August raised questions about how they would fit into the squad.

However, Enzo Maresca has certainly silenced the critics early in the season, as he appears to have established a settled lineup. The Blues are also off to a strong start and currently sit fourth in the table.

Regarding the squad depth and how he manages so many players, Maresca emphasized that this depth is a strength, noting that the versatility of the players will also prove beneficial.

"As left-wingers, we have Jadon and Misha [Mudryk]. As right-wingers, we have Noni and Pedro. As attacking midfielders, we have Joao Felix and Cole. As a No9, we have Nicolas, Christo and Marc. We do not have so many players, we have two players for each position," Maresca said (via GOAL).

"The squad is quite clear in terms of positions. All of them have their position and we have two players in each position. But because they are versatile, good and can play in different positions, for sure we can move them," he added.

At the moment, there certainly seems to be clarity at Chelsea, something that has been lacking over the past few seasons. However, the real test will come after the international break, as they are set to face Liverpool in the Premier League on October 20.