Maresca’s ‘pointless contract’ is fast becoming Chelsea’s new nunk

Chelsea have constructed themselves a crew lately that almost all golf equipment would have destroyed.

For instance, Moises Caicedo, Cole Palmer, Marc Cucurella, Levi Colwill, Wesley Fofana and Reece James might type the core of a crew that wins the Premier League title.

However whereas the Blues have completed quite a lot of issues proper in the case of team-building, they’ve additionally made greater than their justifiable share of errors.

One such mistake was Christopher Nkunku, and as issues stand, it seems to be like one among Enzo Maresca’s signings is in peril of following within the Frenchman’s footsteps at Chelsea.

How Nkunku fared at Chelsea

Chelsea paid a hefty £52 million to RB Leipzig for Nkunku in the summertime of 2023, and whereas such a sum appears absurd now, on the time it felt greater than truthful.

All instructed, over the 21/22 and 22/23 seasons, the 28-year-old has performed in 88 video games and performed a complete of seven,006 minutes, racking up a powerful 58 targets and 29 assists.

In different phrases, he was concerned in a purpose on common each 1.01 video games, or each 80.52 minutes, over two years, which is ridiculous and explains why the West Londoners had been so eager to signal him.

Sadly, the Stamford Bridge trustworthy won’t ever see that model of the Frenchman.

His unhealthy luck started rapidly, with a knee damage that required surgical procedure in a pre-season pleasant in opposition to Borussia Dortmund that stored him out till late November.

The Lagny-sur-Marne-born ace was sidelined eight instances in his two years at Chelsea, lacking a whopping 70 video games in all competitions.

Sadly, he wasn’t so fortunate on the pitch both. By the point he moved to AC Milan in the summertime, he had scored simply 18 targets and offered 5 assists in 62 appearances, 10 of which got here within the Convention League.

All in all, Nkunku seemed like an awesome signing for Chelsea, however it in the end fell by means of and if he would not enhance rapidly, one among Maresca’s summer season signings might observe the identical path.

I am subsequent

Because it stands, it’s no exaggeration to say that Joao Pedro and Alejandro Garnacho are the 2 who look essentially the most secure of Chelsea’s summer season signings.

Nevertheless, whereas the likes of Liam Delap and Jorel Hato have been underperforming, it’s Jamie Gittens who’s most susceptible to changing into the subsequent Nkunku.

In any case, the Englishman and the circumstances surrounding his transfer really feel eerily much like the Frenchman’s.

For instance, the Blues signed him from Bundesliga high crew Dortmund after a fairly spectacular season.

In 49 video games for the German giants, the Studying-born dynamo contributed 17 targets, scoring in opposition to Bayern Munich within the league and in opposition to Actual Madrid within the Champions League.

His capacity to carry out on the most important stage and look menacing every time he has the ball led Sky Sports activities’ Dougie Critchley to at one level describe him as “England’s greatest left winger”.

Along with their comparable journeys, the 21-year-old is at present attempting to make an affect on the folks of West London.

For instance, the summer season signing has one purpose and 5 assists in 20 video games and 921 minutes, which implies he’s concerned in a purpose each 3.33 video games, or each 153.5 minutes.

To make issues worse, three of these purpose involvements got here within the League Cup, with two within the league coming in opposition to newly promoted Burnley and Leeds United.

Moreover, within the match in opposition to Cardiff Metropolis in League 1, he seemed hopeless as he did not take a shot on track and his dribbling failed 100%, and he bought hooked within the 66th minute.

In any case, given Gittens’ poor efficiency to date this season, it is laborious to agree with one analyst that he was a “pointless deal.”

So if he would not enhance quickly, there is a good likelihood he’ll be Chelsea’s subsequent Nkunku.