Chelsea want £150k-p/w “galactico” who’d revive Nkunku

Christopher Nkunku had huge expectations to be a success at Chelsea upon his £52m move to the club from RB Leipzig last summer.

The French forward moved to Stamford Bridge after scoring 16 goals in his 25 Bundesliga matches during 2022/23, but he was unable to make any sort of impact for the Blues last season.

He missed the vast majority of the campaign through injury, only featuring 11 times in the Premier League, scoring three times at an average of one goal every 3.6 appearances.

However, the 26-year-old has made a huge impact during pre-season this summer, scoring three times and showcasing what he could be capable of under Enzo Maresca in 2024/25.

Nkunku could be helped by the signing of one player who could move to West London this summer after recent reported interest in the forward.

Chelsea interested in signing £150k-p/w talent this summer

According to CalcioNapoli24 via Sport Witness, Federico Chiesa could be on the move this summer, with one agent, Stefano Caira, confirming that Chelsea have registered an interest in signing the Juventus forward – who is deemed to be an “outgoing player” from the Old Lady.

The 26-year-old, who earns £150k-per-week, as per Capology, produced a tally of nine goals and two assists in his 33 Serie A appearances but doesn’t appear to be in the plans of new boss Thiago Motta – wanting to leave the Italian side as a result.

However, Maresca’s side aren’t the only Premier League outfit in the race for his signature, with Chiesa’s agent claiming West Ham and Manchester United have both also been tracking the situation of the Italian.

It’s a real shock to see the forward’s potential departure from Turin after his recent form in Italy’s top flight, but Juve’s loss could be Chelsea’s gain, with Chiesa producing numerous stats that would play perfectly into the hands of current Blues man Nkunku.

Why Chiesa would make Nkunku unplayable for Chelsea

Even though Todd Boehly has splashed the cash on attacking talents such as Mykhailo Mudryk and Raheem Sterling, the owner still wants reinforcements in forward areas to help Maresca have the best chance of being a success at Stamford Bridge.

Chiesa could be that player to provide the added quality in the final third, with his stats produced in Serie A over the last 12 months undoubtedly helping Nkunku build on his impressive form during pre-season.

The fleet-footed “galactico”, as dubbed by data analyst Ben Mattinson, registered 4.8 shot-creating actions and 2.2 key passes per 90 last season, with such figures undoubtedly providing the French forward with more frequent opportunities in the final third.

He also managed 2.9 progressive passes and 4.6 progressive carries per 90, showcasing his ability to drive with the ball into attacking areas, undoubtedly handing Nkunku the chance to create carnage for Chelsea in the near future.

Whilst the club already have a huge amount of options at Maresca’s disposal, Chiesa would undoubtedly provide a new option to the new boss and one that could bring added quality – helping Nkunku thrive after his big-money move.

He’s enjoyed a difficult start to life in west London, but the former RB Leipzig talent has the opportunity to form an excellent partnership with the Italian winger should he arrive at Stamford Bridge.