
Chelsea
Premier League • England
Chelsea WILL sell £52m Clearlake signing who’s failed final chance

The Chelsea star's fate is practically sealed ahead of the summer
Chelsea are preparing to part ways with a player who cost them £52m to sign but hasn’t succeeded in passing his final chance to prove he deserves to stay at the club, with his feelings about the situation coming to light in a new report.
There’s bound to be more movement in and out of Stamford Bridge this summer – and that could include some players who were brought in by the current regime. Indeed, Chelsea have wasted little time in getting rid of players if they don’t think they’re up to standard.
One of the more high-profile signings that hasn’t quite worked out for Chelsea has been Christopher Nkunku, who was bought from RB Leipzig in June 2023.
Nkunku has scored 17 goals in 52 games for Chelsea, but has found starts hard to come by in the Premier League – and not just because of injury issues.
The France forward’s future was called into question this January and his chances of staying at Chelsea into next season are now in major doubt.
According to Give Me Sport, Nkunku’s departure from Chelsea is now increasingly likely for the summer. The report cites how he was given a last chance to prove himself after staying in January, but he hasn’t stepped up since Nicolas Jackson has been out.
Nkunku has started Chelsea’s past five Premier League games, but the only one he was able to score in was against bottom-of-the-table Southampton.
It means time is running out for Nkunku, despite his contract in west London lasting until 2029.
Nkunku stance on Chelsea future
When Nkunku was attracting clubs like Manchester United in January, he opted to stay and fight for his place at Chelsea. It’s a battle he hasn’t won.
Therefore, the report claims he too now accepts it’s time for a new challenge ahead of next season.
A return to the Bundesliga with Bayern Munich would have caught Nkunku’s attention in the most recent transfer window, but it remains to be seen who’ll be in for him in the summer.
He and his entourage are already on the lookout for a club where he’d fit in with the style of play.
At the age of 27, Nkunku – who can also count Paris Saint-Germain among his former clubs – needs to get his next step right to enjoy what should be the prime years of his career.
Chelsea have been proactive in lining up some signings for the future, but they’re also aware of needing to raise some funds with player sales, as Fabrizio Romano recently confirmed.
Therefore, under-delivering players like Nkunku are at risk of being shunted out of the project.
Latest Chelsea transfer news
Nkunku is not the only Chelsea forward up for sale, with Ben Jacobs telling TEAMtalk this week of their plans to cash in on Joao Felix after his loan at AC Milan.
Milan are unlikely to want to sign Felix permanently, but sources have confirmed he still has admirers at Aston Villa.
Raheem Sterling, currently out on loan at Arsenal, is also expected to be moved on for good in the summer.
In addition, Chelsea have come up with a ruthless new plan for Jadon Sancho after they activate their obligation to buy him from Manchester United.
And bizarrely, Mykhaylo Mudryk has been linked with a transfer in the opposite direction.