Chelsea latest: Enzo Maresca receives transfer warning as Moises Caicedo disagreement emerges

Chelsea have finally found their stride again following their weekend triumph over Liverpool. The Blues have endured a patchy season, with injuries, suspensions, and a series of underwhelming performances stalling much of the momentum they'd built at the end of last campaign.

However, toppling the reigning champions - and doing so in dramatic fashion through Estevao's 96th-minute winner - has completely shifted the atmosphere at Stamford Bridge. The victory seems to have restored confidence among the squad and relieved some of the pressure on Enzo Maresca, which had been quietly mounting in recent weeks.

Even so, significant challenges remain, none more urgent than Chelsea's growing injury crisis. Cole Palmer's groin problem, which has kept him out for several weeks, is a major setback, but it's the defence that has suffered the most.

Against Liverpool, Chelsea finished the game with two full-backs - Reece James and Jorrel Hato - deployed as centre-backs after both Benoit Badiashile and Josh Acheampong limped off. James himself sustained an injury during the match, joining Levi Colwill, Wesley Fofana, and Tosin Adarabioyo (alongside suspended Trevoh Chalobah) on the sidelines.

Next up is a visit to Nottingham Forest, and Chelsea will be confident of securing all three points, given Forest's recent difficulties under new manager Ange Postecoglou. As the international break begins, football.london examines the latest updates from the Blues camp.

'Cold Palmer' trademarked

Cole Palmer may be sidelined, but that hasn't stopped him from making moves off the field. The 23-year-old has officially trademarked the phrase 'Cold Palmer' - a nickname linked to his signature goal celebration.

The UK Intellectual Property Office approved the registration on Friday, granting Palmer exclusive rights to use the term on products including clothing, toys, electronics, and football merchandise. This prevents anyone from commercially exploiting the nickname without Palmer's permission.

The trademark was filed through his company, Palmer Management Limited, but initially faced opposition in August from Château Palmer - a Bordeaux winery named after Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Palmer, who bought the estate in 1814. Palmer revised his application in September, removing any reference to wine, allowing the trademark to be approved.

Palmer's actions aren't unique. More footballers are now taking steps to protect their personal brands and secure image rights. For example, Arsenal's Bukayo Saka established BS7 Rights Limited to manage his commercial ventures, while former Tottenham and Real Madrid star Gareth Bale trademarked his famous 'eleven of hearts' goal celebration.

Caicedo disagreement

Over the last year or so, Moises Caicedo has cemented himself as one of the Premier League's - and indeed the world's - top midfielders. The Ecuadorian has delivered consistently high-quality performances in Chelsea blue, with his latest masterclass coming during Saturday's win over Liverpool.

Caicedo dominated every facet of the game - controlling possession, disrupting Liverpool's attacks, and finishing with a brilliant 25-yard goal to claim man-of-the-match honours. The £115million Chelsea spent on him two summers ago now looks like a bargain, at least according to former Blues defender Frank Leboeuf, who believes his value has effectively doubled.

"Remember the first season, they paid £115m and we were wondering, is he worth it? But now he is worth more than that, double that," Leboeuf told ESPN. "Because that guy gives you such business in the middle of the park, that for the others, it makes things simpler. It's easier.

"We go back to the previous generation of defensive midfielders, Wisey [Dennis Wise], Claude Makelele and N'Golo Kante, those fantastic players that give their lives every game... Those players are completely essential to a team and they are the fixed wall to make sure the team is going to work and Caicedo is showing that to the world. What we saw against Liverpool, it was absolutely exceptional."

But amid all the praise, some believe Caicedo can still improve further. Frank Lampard - who knows a thing or two about being a world class midfielder - compared him to Chelsea legends Makelele and Kante, describing him as a hybrid of the two. That said, Lampard urged the 23-year-old to take control of matches with more consistency.

"They [Kante and Makelele] were both amazing," Lampard told talkSPORT. "I played with Maka obviously and he was a different type to N'Golo, because N'Golo could really get around, whereas Maka basically sat in front a lot.

"But I see because of the style of play, he [Caicedo] can do the Makelele break-up stuff really, really well, close down space really quickly. Now he's shown last season, and this, that he's got the sort of Kante bits in his game because N'Golo could do that, could arrive at the edge of the box and score."

He added: "What he's got to do now is just turn out consistently for the next season and hopefully try and win things with Chelsea. It [the comparisons] makes sense, he's doing really well."

Olise transfer warning

Chelsea have received a clear 'hands off' warning from Bayern Munich amid links to Michael Olise. The French winger, who moved to Bayern from Crystal Palace in 2024, has excelled in Germany, scoring 25 goals in 65 appearances.

The Blues have long admired Olise, unsuccessfully attempting to sign him in 2023. Despite his strong form in the Bundesliga, rumours of a return to England have persisted, with Liverpool reportedly also tracking him.

However, Bayern sporting director Christoph Freund dismissed any speculation, stating the club has no intention of selling. "We're not under any pressure," he told Sky Sport Germany. "We can imagine him playing for Bayern for the next seven, eight, or nine years. Michael has a long-term contract, he proved himself and took steps forward."

Bayern paid £52m for Olise - who spent part of his youth at Chelsea - and it's believed it would require close to double that sum for negotiations to even begin. As such, a sensational return to Stamford Bridge seems highly unlikely for now.