Chelsea youngster Marc Guiu has claimed that he is ready for the physicality of the Premier League.
The forward burst onto the scene at Barcelona in 2023-24, scoring the winning goal immediately after being introduced for his debut against Athletic Bilbao in October.
However, despite also netting in a Champions League fixture against Royal Antwerp before the end of the year, the 18-year-old soon dropped out of contention in the senior squad.
Rather than persevere for a place in the first-team squad at Camp Nou, Guiu jumped at the opportunity to sign for Chelsea when the Blues showed a willingness to activate his £5m release clause.
Although the expectation had been that the teenager would go out on loan, he has impressed during his appearances on Chelsea's pre-season tour of the United States.
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How many minutes has Guiu received?
With Nicolas Jackson having been trying to shake off an ankle injury, Guiu has been given plenty of minutes in the Chelsea attack by head coach Enzo Maresca.
A total of 225 minutes have come across four appearances, his longest outing being against Celtic when he lasted 84 minutes versus the Scottish champions.
Guiu's solitary goal was a glancing header at the near post against Club America in the following fixture, while he also featured for 32 minutes of the 4-2 defeat versus Manchester City on Saturday night.
Chelsea conclude their pre-season schedule with meetings against Real Madrid and Inter Milan before they renew acquaintances with Man City in the Premier League on August 18.
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Guiu sends message to Maresca
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Guiu has acknowledged that he believes in his ability to cope with the demands of England's top flight without furthering his development elsewhere.
He said: "He (Maresca) told me there was an amazing sporting project full of young talent, that he wanted me to be a part of it and that he had a lot of faith in me and my skills and capabilities.
"I think I'm ready. We work very hard every day both on and off the pitch, on the physical aspect and the practical. So I think I'm ready to be on the pitch."
With Chelsea still in the market for a new centre-forward, there are unlikely to be any quick decisions on Guiu's future.
As a result of Jackson being behind the rest of the squad in terms of fitness, Guiu is currently in line to feature on the substitutes' bench for the Premier League opener.
Darren Plant
