Christopher Nkunku could leave Chelsea this summer (h/t the Times).
The 27-year-old was left out of the squad for the 2-1 win against Fulham.
Enzo Maresca said it was a ‘technical’ decision, but it could end Nkunku’s troubled tenure with the Blues.
Nkunku played the entire 90 minutes three days earlier in the shock 2-1 defeat against Legia Warsaw at Stamford Bridge.
He was fully fit for Sunday’s game, but Maresca decided to go with Jadon Sancho and academy graduate Tyrique George ahead of Nkunku.
That decision paid off. George came off the bench to score his first Premier League goal, which started Chelsea’s comeback.
Pedro Neto then smashed home a last-minute winner that bolstered Chelsea’s chances of finishing in the Champions League places.
The Blues are focused on finishing in the top five, but Nkunku’s future could be a major talking point once their Champions League bid is over.
The former RB Leipzig star was unsettled earlier in the year. There were even talks of a loan move to Bayern Munich or Manchester United, who showed interest.
A transfer never materialised as Nkunku wanted a permanent move, but that would have been complicated in January. However, he could get his wish this summer.
Chelsea paid £58 million to sign Nkunku from Leipzig in 2023.
There was plenty of excitement ahead of his debut, but a pre-season injury ruined his early momentum and kept him out for months.
The Frenchman has started just nine Premier League games this season. Maresca previously admitted that fitting Nkunku into his tactical set-up has not been straightforward.
He’s not an out-and-out striker. He prefers to play off a central striker, but Cole Palmer’s brilliance has kept him out of the team.
Nkunku still has four years left on his contract, but it will be surprising if he doesn’t leave Chelsea this summer.
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