Chelsea have been one of European football’s most resurgent sides in the 2024/25 season under new manager Enzo Maresca, as they are now favored to qualify for the Champions League next season after missing out on the competition ever since the Todd Boehly take over.
So many players have improved this season at Chelsea under Maresca, with the rebound of Moises Caicedo in midfield being a particular highlight. And striker Nicolas Jackson has been much stronger, too, with even loan acquisition Joao Felix showing signs of progress in his second stint at Stamford Bridge.
But not everyone is benefiting from Maresca’s appointment in the dugout. Mykhaylo Mudryk is famously on the transfer block and mostly discarded by the new manager, but he isn’t the biggest name on the verge of a transfer out of London.
Star forward Christopher Nkunku was a legitimate Ballon d’Or candidate just a couple of seasons ago and arrived at Chelsea last season with a lot of fanfare as the expected new face of the club.
Instead, Cole Palmer became the Premier League Player of the Season candidate at Chelsea, while injuries slowed Nkunku. Still, there was an air of optimism that the Frenchman would show that level in 2024/25 under Maresca when healthy.
That, unfortunately, hasn’t been the case. Nkunku has started just one game in the Premier League this season with 10 appearances off the bench, and it is becoming clear that even when healthy, he isn’t a first-choice player under Maresca.
You can sense the frustration growing as transfer rumors continue to circulate regarding Nkunku’s future, and he was a scratch from the XI against Maresca’s former club Leicester City when just about everyone around the club expected him to start.
In the prime of his career at 27, you can’t help but feel that Nkunku is being wasted. Maresca clearly doesn’t see the value in Nkunku as a fit for his plans, and it is probably best for everyone involved to part ways as soon as possible before acrimony starts to set in.
Nkunku is a versatile and world-class attacker with two league seasons of at least 16 goals and two league seasons of at least 13 assists in his career. From a career production perspective, he is the most accomplished player on Chelsea, with the possible exception of Jadon Sancho, and yet he is almost entirely discarded.
Even if you posit that Nkunku could significantly aid Chelsea in their endeavors domestically and in continental competition, even one of a team’s most talented players has to go if they are just going to ride the pine.
Keeping Nkunku sends the wrong message to other players and to the club’s leadership. It’s better to free someone who isn’t wanted, and it’s certainly better to pinch 30 million euros or so and invest that money elsewhere.
