Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has made it clear he wants a £141m duo out of the club in the summer transfer window, as he targets more quality for 2025/26.
After a season getting settled at Stamford Bridge, Maresca has endured a mix bag as Chelsea boss. While the Blues are fighting keenly for a spot in next season's Champions League, periods of poor form have piled the pressure on the Italian at various times during the season.
The Chelsea hierarchy has largely stayed loyal to Maresca throughout, with success in the Conference League also likely come the end of the campaign. As a result, he could be given even more power in the transfer window, which will start with offloading some unneeded players.
Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca wants duo out of Stamford Bridge
At the beginning of the season Maresca made it clear that players such as Raheem Sterling and Ben Chilwell weren't part of his plans, with both subsequently sent out on loan.
Similar is set to happen again in the summer, though this time around Maresca wants sales as he looks to make upgrades to his side.
According to the Sun, Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca is planning for life next season without Mykhailo Mudryk and Christopher Nkunku, having left far from impressed with the duo during his time at the club.
Mudryk hasn't played since December 17, 2024, after the FA provisionally suspended him for testing positive for doping, though Maresca had only featured the winger in seven Premier League matches prior to his suspension.
Chelsea will find it difficult to recoup anywhere near the £89m fee they initially agreed with Shakhtar Donetsk for Mudryk, with that positive drugs test and poor performances for the Blues contributing to a considerable deflation of his value. Indeed, Transfermarkt only values the Ukranian at £25.7m now, despite him still only being 24 and the fact his contract will run until 2031 at Stamford Bridge.
Nkunku, meanwhile, has failed to make an imprint on the Chelsea side this season, with the Frenchman not looking comfortable in any of the forward positions. Though he has played 39 games for the Blues this term and scored 14 goals, the majority of those finishes have come against weaker opposition in the Conference League and League Cup.
Having cost £52m in 2023, Chelsea could still get back as much of that money as possible considering his prior form at RB Leipzig, the fact he's got four years remaining on his deal and him still only being 27, though they will also have to accept a loss is likely.
In FourFourTwo's opinion, neither player will be missed at Stamford Bridge if they do leave in the summer, with both forwards taking up essential spaces in the squad for better-quality stars. That's what Chelsea will need to focus on if they want to take the next step and get closer to the top of the table.
