Chelsea star Malo Gusto
Malo Gusto impressed as Chelsea stars were put through their paces at Cobham (Picture: Getty)

Malo Gusto earned the approval of his Chelsea team-mates as he appeared to complete and win the club’s gruelling bleep test exercise on his return to training.

A host of Chelsea’s players – those not competing at Euro 2024 or the Copa America – have been put through their paces this week, with Enzo Maresca overseeing his first training sessions of pre-season.

The likes of Raheem Sterling, Ben Chilwell, Noni Madueke and club captain Reece James will all have been keen to impress their new manager, along with Tosin Adarabioyo, who joined on a free transfer from Fulham last month.

However, on the back of a promising debut season with the Blues last term, it appears Gusto may have made the biggest impression on day one at Cobham.

The dreaded bleep test – which involves repeatedly running between two lines that are 15 metres apart – is used to gauge players’ general fitness levels after the summer break and has become synonymous with pre-season training at Premier League clubs in recent years.

In a video shared on Chelsea’s social media pages, Gusto appeared to be the last man standing from the exhausting drill and was applauded over the line as he completed his final sprint.

The 21-year-old Frenchman, who excelled in James’ absence at right-back last season, even got a high five from new boy Adarabioyo as he made his way off the pitch.

Chelsea fans got the chance to hear their new manager speak for the first time earlier this week and it’s clear the Italian is relishing the chance to begin a ‘fantastic journey’ in west London.

‘I’m very happy and excited,’ Maresca said in his opening interview as Chelsea head coach.

‘It will be a fantastic journey and I’m excited to get started [with the players] as soon as possible.

‘One of the reasons I’m here is because I’m convinced the squad is very good and full of talent,’ he said. ‘The most important thing now is we’re able to create the right culture that drives us for the season.

‘I always say the same: if you are able to improve players then you are able to improve the team. So it’s our target to try to improve all of them day by day.’

Maresca promises to implement an ‘aggressive’ approach next season and hopes to turn Stamford Bridge into a fortress.

‘We are going to try to be an aggressive team on the ball and off the ball,’ the ex-Leicester boss added.

‘We need to create this connection between the fans and the club, especially at home.

‘When you have your own fans behind the team pushing, it’s like playing with 12 players and this is what we have to create here.’ 

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