Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca may be facing a forward crisis right now but it could inadvertently save the club millions in the transfer market. The Italian manager is reeling from the news that Nicolas Jackson is ruled out until April, leaving his squad short of forward power.
Potential replacement Marc Guiu is also set to be sidelined for a similar period, seemingly putting extra pressure on Cole Palmer to deliver goals.
But the club’s top scorer is much more adept in an attacking midfield role, and Maresca is unlikely to take the gamble of playing his marquee star out of position.
Chelsea had already been touted to sign a big-money striker this summer, but Jackson’s injury may have just opened the door for a player seemingly on the brink of an exit. Christopher Nkunku arrived from RB Leipzig in the summer of 2023 in a £52million deal, having been prolific during his time in Germany.
Injury issues curtailed his debut season, making just 14 appearances in all competitions and scoring three goals. But the French international began this campaign fully fit and was expected to make a big impact at Stamford Bridge.
However, despite striking 13 times, seven of those goals have come in the Europa Conference League, with Maresca previously favouring Jackson as his first-choice No.9. He’s even implied that Nkunku, 27, isn’t suited to a lone striker role – preferring him to employ him deeper or out wide.
The saga has sparked reports that the player is now unhappy in London, and he was linked with a move away in January. Suddenly though, Nkunku now has the opportunity to prove his boss wrong, with his manager seemingly having little other option but to start him up front at Brighton on Friday.
A goal in that game would go a long way to changing Maresca’s mind, with his side’s lack of clinical ability having cost them dear amid their flailing top-four challenge. And if Nkunku were to score regularly between now and the end of the season, club bosses would also surely be prompted to rethink their summer plans.
If the ex-PSG man were to hit form, it could save the club from splashing out on more forward power when the next window opens. And it would mean the Blues would finally get a return on their investment, rather than Nkunku join a lengthening list of financial mistakes.
Maresca also has another short-term option that wouldn’t require a transfer fee or waiting until the summer. Fans online have noted that Diego Costa, who scored 59 times for the club in a four-year spell that yielded two Premier League titles, is currently a free agent.
At 36, and having previously struggled during a brief return to English football with Wolves, the former Spanish international is unlikely to have the same impact this time around. But if Maresca really doesn’t believe Nkunku is worth putting faith in, then desperate times could call for desperate measures.