Maresca must sell £30m Chelsea flop

Chelsea are a side who could be featuring in the Champions League next season, highlighting how impressive Enzo Maresca has been during his first year in charge.

The Italian took the reins in the summer, looking to build on the work done by Mauricio Pochettino the season prior, potentially winning a trophy before the end of the campaign.

The Blues remain in the Europa Conference League, facing a quarter-final clash with Legia Warsaw to move them one step closer to a maiden trophy for the 45-year-old.

However, they’ve faced some struggles in recent weeks, losing three of the last five Premier League outings and needing a reaction after the international break to maintain their top-four status.

Regardless of what is achieved between now and the end of the season, two players may be moved on at the next opportunity, after failing to make a positive impression over the last few months.

Why Sanchez & Nkunku could leave Chelsea this summer

Goalkeeper Robert Sanchez has often been the number one option for Maresca in between the sticks, but not without his mistakes, often leading to questions about his selection.

The Spaniard cost £25m from Brighton back in the summer of 2023, but he’s made five errors leading to goals – the most of any ‘keeper in the division, with many supporters voicing their displeasure.

At the other end of the pitch, striker Christopher nunku has also failed to match the expectations placed on him after his £52m move during the same summer.

The Frenchman has only scored three league goals in 2024/25, with the hierarchy potentially wanting to cash in on his services in the summer amid interest from elsewhere in January.

With the aforementioned pair potentially finding themselves playing away from Stamford Bridge next season, the manager could also offload one player who’s failed to deliver when he’s had the opportunity to shine.

The player who Chelsea need to sell in the summer

The summer of 2024 was the first opportunity for Maresca to make the additions he wanted to put his own spin on the Chelsea side to try and catapult them to league and European success.

Jadon Sancho and Pedro Neto both arrived in West London to provide depth in the final third, with the latter costing £54m from fellow Premier League side Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall also moved to the club, following the Italian in leaving Leicester City after achieving promotion with the Foxes at the end of the 2023/24 campaign.

The 26-year-old cost in the region of £30m during the summer, but has ultimately failed to make the impression you would expect from a player who joined for such a big fee.

He’s only featured nine times in the league to date, with only one of those coming from a starting role – having to settle for Conference League minutes to impress, but has still struggled to stake his claim for a regular starting position.

Dewsbury-Hall managed to find the net in the last European outing, but it’s still not been enough to break into Maresca’s plans, leading to creator Alex Goldberg dubbing him as “shocking”.

However, he was subject to interest in the winter window after his lack of impact in West London, with the club potentially wanting to cash in on him after his lack of action in recent times.

His stats from the league this campaign highlight how disappointing he’s been over the last couple of months, with the Englishman nowhere near the levels required for a player who cost a pretty penny.

Dewsbury-Hall does possess quality, but he’s been unable to extract it at the Bridge, with Maresca desperately needing to cut his losses on the former Leicester ace in the summer.

The club’s heavy spending was ultimately going to result in numerous players failing to deliver, with the 26-year-old up there with one of the worst pieces of business conducted in recent times, needing to cash in for added investment elsewhere.