Oliver Glasner fires warning at Ben Chilwell ahead of Crystal Palace debut
The Chelsea star has joined Palace on loan until the end of the season.
Chelsea loan star Ben Chilwell has been warned he is far from a guaranteed starter at Crystal Palace as he looks to revive his career.
Chilwell has finally ended his Chelsea exile after securing a loan transfer to Selhurst Park on deadline day.
The Eagles are paying less than half of the 28-year-old’s £200,000-a-week wages and there is no option to make the transfer permanent included in the deal.
After struggling with injury and then being banished from the Blues first-team by Enzo Maresca, the left-back is hoping this move can turnaround his fortunes as he looks to break back into the England squad.
Palace manager Oliver Glasner says Chilwell could make his debut in the FA Cup clash at Doncaster Rovers on Monday night but has also warned his new signing that he will not simply walk into the starting XI.
‘When we were looking for players on the market, Ben was always one of our top targets,’ the Austrian said in his pre-match press conference.
‘He is Premier League experienced and it was also about who can help us immediately, because we have only three-and-a-half months, then it is the end of the season.
‘He played wing-back under Thomas Tuchel when they won the Champions League, he can play in a back four, so many aspects worked for him.
‘It can be a big chance for him. He has to compete with Tyrick Mitchell because he has had an excellent season for us, very consistent on a very high level.
‘But he is doing really well in training. He is fit. Unfortunately, he couldn’t take part in Chelsea’s team training in January. Team training is a little bit different, so we have to give him some days and maybe weeks, but the plan is he will get minutes at Doncaster.’
Mitchell has performed well for Palace this season, with Paul Merson previously stating that Chilwell will find it hard to displace his fellow English left-back in the side.
It is not inconceivable that the pair could play together however, with Glasner confirming that Chilwell or Mitchell could be deployed in central defence with Palace short in that area.
In the last few weeks alone, Chelsea recalled Trevoh Chalobah, Rob Holding departed on loan and Chadi Riad suffered a season-ending injury, leaving the Eagles with just three senior centre-backs in the squad – far from ideal when Glasner plays with a back-three.
‘We looked at the centre-back market but we were not 100 per cent convinced by the available targets,’ the manager added.
‘We have three centre-halves. Nathaniel Clyne can play, we have Jeff Lerma who can play this position. Maybe Ben and T can play this as well.’
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