"Important" Chelsea star has decided he will leave the club this summer
- Barnaby Lane
- 1 minute ago
- 2 min read
Chelsea produced one of their standout performances of the season on Sunday afternoon, dispatching newly crowned Premier League champions Liverpool 3-1 in front of a buoyant Stamford Bridge crowd.
The Blues flew out of the blocks and took the lead inside three minutes. Enzo Fernández, making a rare foray into the box, showed superb composure to control Pedro Neto’s low-driven cross before slotting the ball past Alisson into the bottom corner.
Liverpool, perhaps still recovering from the emotional high of their title celebrations, looked flat and struggled to impose themselves for large parts of the match, and their vulnerability was further exposed just after the interval when a comical own goal doubled Chelsea’s lead. Virgil van Dijk’s clearance cannoned off teammate Jarrell Quansah and looped past a stranded Alisson.
Van Dijk partially atoned for his error with a late header from an Alexis Mac Allister corner to make it 2-1, but it proved only a consolation.
Chelsea sealed the win in stoppage time when Cole Palmer converted from the penalty spot, ending his 18-game goal drought. The 22-year-old’s celebration said it all – a mix of relief and release after a barren spell that had dented his confidence.
Christopher Nkunku to Leave Chelsea This Summer
While it was a memorable day for many in blue, one notable absentee from the squad was Christopher Nkunku. Officially ruled out through injury, the Frenchman’s continued omission has fuelled speculation that his time at Stamford Bridge may be nearing its end.
Nkunku, who earlier this season Enzo Maresca hailed as "important," arrived at Chelsea with high expectations in the summer of 2023 following a £52 million move from RB Leipzig. However, recurring fitness issues and limited playing time have derailed his progress. He’s managed just nine Premier League starts and three goals this term – a return far below what was anticipated.
Now, multiple sources suggest the 27-year-old is ready to call time on his Chelsea adventure. Sky Germany journalist Florian Plettenberg reported on X over the weekend: “Christopher Nkunku has decided to leave Chelsea this summer – there’s no longer any doubt about it. His contract runs until 2029. Talks are ongoing.”
Fabrizio Romano, another trusted name in the transfer world, backed that report. In a recent video update, he said: “I already told you in March, in April and now in May the clear feeling of all parties involved is for Nkunku to leave Chelsea in the summer transfer window.”
Romano added: “Why? Because Nkunku is not finding the space he wants. Also because in terms of skills, Nkunku is not exactly the kind of player needed for Enzo Maresca’s vision and ideas.”
The Italian reporter concluded: “Nkunku wants to play on a regular basis, and at Chelsea this is not happening apart from in the Conference League. But it’s about Premier League football. It’s about the really crucial games that Nkunku wants to play.”
Clubs such as Bayern Munich and Manchester United are said to be monitoring the situation closely, and a move could materialise quickly once the transfer window opens.
With the summer rebuild at Stamford Bridge expected to be significant, Nkunku’s departure now seems more a matter of when than if.
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