Chelsea legend Michael Essien has called on the club's supporters to exercise patience with their new manager, Enzo Maresca.

The Italian coach, who recently joined Chelsea from Leicester City, is tasked with revitalizing the squad and restoring the club’s former success.

Essien emphasized the challenges faced by both players and managers at Chelsea, highlighting the need for time to build a cohesive team. "Chelsea is a tough place, not only for players but also for managers as well," Essien told talkSPORT.

He noted that the team showed signs of improvement towards the end of the previous season. "It’s unfortunate they got Pochettino out of the way, but I think their new boss will take them to where they want to be."

Reflecting on his own experience, Michael Essien added, "I was there for nine years and I had eight managers. So you can see it's a tough place."

"Our time was different, we had great success. This is a new generation, and they need to be given chances to get where the club deserves," he concluded.