Now World ViewFelix sold, Sterling exit, Nkunku decision made – Chelsea attacker transfer fates revealed
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It has been a strange season so far for Chelsea. With initial hopes of ending the season in the Champions League places, the Blues were at one point drawn into talk of a Premier League title challenge – though Enzo Maresca denied any chance of that.
The Blues currently sit fifth in the table – which may well end up being enough to secure a Champions League place at the end of the season, with Maresca insisting now that it is indeed the aim for the season. But it is tight at the top, with just six points separating Nottingham Forest in third and Aston Villa in 10th place, with 11 games to go for most teams.
Chelsea have managed to spread goals around so far this season, with Cole Palmer leading the way on 14 strikes in the Premier League. But after him, it has been slightly disappointing with Nicolas Jackson on nine, Noni Madueke on seven and then Enzo Fernandez on four.
With Jackson and Marc Guiu currently out injured, the Blues don’t have a recognised No.9 available, and have toyed with both Christopher Nkunku and Pedro Neto in the striker role – to mixed results.
With an attack not currently performing to the best of its abilities, we take a look at what the summer may hold for everyone at the club.
Pedro Neto
It's fair to say it's taken some time for the £54million signing to bed in at Stamford Bridge. With the competition for places, it's been tough for anyone apart from Palmer to nail down a regular place in the starting XI.
He's only been able to notch five goals so far this season in all competitions – though that has already matched his most productive seasons at Wolves. He currently has seven assists to his name, so could well exceed last season's total of 11 at Wolves.
His inclusion as a striker – or perhaps more a false nine – in recent games has seen an improvement, however. He'll be hoping to keep on delivering with huge games coming up against Arsenal and Tottenham in the league, as well as the UEFA Conference League clashes against Copenhagen. It's still early in his career. Chelsea should KEEP.
Mykhailo Mudryk
This season has not gone how anyone would have hoped for the Ukrainian star. It had hardly been an ideal start to the campaign with just one Premier League start to his name by the start of December, but he was provisionally suspended for doping after returning an 'adverse finding' from a routine urine test in December, and now faces a ban of up to four years if his 'B' sample is also found to be positive.
It's a bit of a minefield for the Blues, who laid out around £62million, potentially rising to around £88million to sign him two years ago. He hasn't lived up to expectations since they beat Arsenal to his signing, but the fact that he signed an eight-and-a-half-year contract puts the club in a strange position – legal action over cancelling his contract if he gets a lengthy ban could be a potential option – but it would likely be a messy legal battle.
In an ideal world for the club, he probably avoids a ban and they find a buyer for him, but it's unlikely they recoup much of the fee they paid for him in 2023. In reality, his future is UNKNOWN.
Noni Madueke
It's been a fairly good season for Madueke. The 22-year-old started with a bang, scoring a hat-trick against Wolves in his first Premier League appearance of the campaign. However, there has also been criticism from Maresca about his levels dropping after a decent performance.
He has, though, been a trusted member of the first team, only missing three Premier League matchday squads – two of which were due to a hamstring injury picked up against Brighton.
If he can continue to build his form year-on-year he will be a very good option for the club moving forward. KEEP.
Nicolas Jackson
It's often said that absence makes the heart grow fonder, and nowhere is that statement more clear for Chelsea than with Jackson.
His hamstring injury suffered against West Ham on transfer deadline day brutally exposed the club's shortcomings in the market, and was compounded by an injury to Guiu as well, leaving Maresca with no recognised No.9.
While his finishing and decision-making has sometimes been questioned, his work off the ball in both pressing the opposition and making runs to open up space has helped bring the best out of Chelsea's attack.
It was almost comical timing that he went down injured on the evening of deadline day, when the Blues had been crying out for help to rotate and rest the 23-year-old. It looks likely that reinforcements will arrive in the summer, but the Blues have to KEEP the striker.
Christopher Nkunku
It's not really happening for the French attacker at Chelsea. Or, at least, not as much as he or they would have hoped after his £52million arrival from RB Leipzig.
Obviously, he had nearly a year out through injury and that will not have helped. But unfortunately for him, the arrival of Cole Palmer has pushed him down the pecking order in his favoured No.10 position, and recent outings in a No.9 role haven't proved particularly fruitful.
He does retain a fair bit of transfer value for the Blues with four years left on his contract, and he should have a fair few suitors. The Blues should cash in on a player who isn't pulling up any trees. SELL.
Jadon Sancho
The Blues have an obligation to sign Sancho from Manchester United for around £25million, and it looks like the targets will be met with ease to trigger that.
He has had good spells in fits and starts but isn't a nailed-on starter currently, even with Mudryk's suspension. Sancho really needs this move to work after failing at Manchester United, even if some or most of the blame is apportioned to the club.
It's a strange one to call, but Chelsea will be buying and KEEPING.
Cole Palmer
Perhaps the easiest call of them all. KEEP.
That being said, he's not been at his best in recent months. It's clear that his partnership with Jackson has been bringing out the best in him, but naturally after such a fine breakout season for the Blues last year, the opposition are paying him much more attention this season; such is the lot for top players.
It feels like he just needs one to go in off his backside to end the drought and restore some confidence.
Tyrique George
The 19-year-old is taking his first real steps in first-team football this year under Maresca, and as such has probably had a valuable experience among the senior players, if not the minutes required.
That's not necessarily a bad thing. Being around the first team can help implement the mentality needed in professional football. However, if he is to improve he will need time on the pitch and so the best bet for next season will probably be a LOAN move.
Marc Guiu
Guiu came into the squad and has played a part, though like George he has probably not got the amount of first-team football he'd have hoped for given Nicolas Jackson is the only other recognised No.9 in the squad.
That his injury came at the same time as Jackson's is cruel, but if the Blues are to strengthen the attack with another top class No.9 in the summer then a loan move to another Premier League club could be the best option for next season. LOAN.
David Datro Fofana
A big knee injury is never welcome, but the timing of it is an issue for the Blues. His return from a loan spell in Turkey in February means that he will likely be out of action until next season begins, and so is unlikely to find a new club in the summer.
He has a contract until 2029, meaning he will likely be staying at Chelsea until at least the January transfer window, when the club will have to get him more first-team football to aid in his comeback.
However, it will also offer him the opportunity to try and impress the manager on the training pitches. The Blues will have to KEEP until January, then attempt to SELL.
Joao Felix
A bizarre bit of business from the Blues with Conor Gallagher also heading to Atletico Madrid for around £10million less than the attacker. That it was Felix's second spell at Chelsea and only lasted six months before moving on once more is puzzling, and raises questions about why they committed to a permanent move at vast expense.
Like Nkunku, he has suffered from not being as good as Palmer. There's no shame in that, but he could not force his way into another attacking role and quickly became a spare part.
For Chelsea's finances, a sale must be the best bet in the summer – though things have not exactly got off to a flyer at Milan. Still, the club need to SELL.
Armando Broja
Broja's injury history has seriously hampered his Chelsea career. A cruciate knee ligament injury back in 2022 saw him miss the better part of a year of action. After a less-than fruitful loan spell at Fulham last season, a year-long move to Everton looked as if it could be promising.
However, an Achilles injury saw him miss the first three months of the season, and another ankle issue has seen him miss the start of David Moyes' tenure at the club.
His contract at Chelsea runs until 2028, and as such the Blues do still have options. With his injury-interrupted career so far, it's probably worth another loan move to try and get him regular first-team minutes and really evaluate where he stands. LOAN.
Raheem Sterling
What seemed like a fantastic transfer at the time has not worked out as well as hoped. At Man City, Sterling proved he can be deadly in the right system. It hasn't happened for him at Stamford Bridge, and it isn't working at Arsenal either.
The Gunners are struggling with their entire first-choice attack out injured at the moment, and Sterling has not shown the form that makes his deadline-day move to north London look a masterclass by any stretch.
At the end of the season he'll have two years left on his Chelsea contract, and as one of the highest-paid players at the club they'll be hoping to move him on permanently if they can find a buyer. SELL IF POSSIBLE.
Deivid Washington
One of the initial transfers which heralded the Blues' strategy of looking to bring in the most promising young stars from South America, Washington has not yet made the impact at the club which makes the deal look a success.
With just three first-team appearances to his name, the 19-year-old has headed back to Santos on a loan deal until December. We'll know more about his future by the end of that deal, but it does not look like he'll see out his entire seven-year contract signed in 2023. SELL.
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