Which Chelsea stars have the most to prove this season?

Since Todd Boehly took over Chelsea two years ago, there can be no denying that the club has been run questionably at best, especially in the transfer market. The Blues have forked out well over £1 billion on new additions in transfer fees alone, as well as offering extremely lengthy contracts on huge wages to subpar players. To compound the misery, homegrown talents such as Conor Gallagher, Mason Mount, and Ruben Loftus Cheek have all been ushered out of the club. 

With such eye-watering sums of money being spent, one would think that performances would improve at Stamford Bridge, but unfortunately, the opposite has happened. Last term, The Blues finished down in sixth in the Premier League which should have been good enough for a spot in the Europa League. 

However, Manchester United’s victory in the FA Cup final against cross-city rivals Manchester City consigned Chelsea to the Conference League, and now games against Kazakhstan’s Astana and Armenia’s FC Noah await. 

Domestically, a 6-2 thrashing of Wolves on the road lifted hopes within the Chelsea camp however, they followed that up with a 1-1 draw at home to Crystal Palace, and now they are already five points behind pacesetters Manchester City. 

While the latest odds for sports betting in Canada make the reigning champions an even money favorite to retain their crown, the Blues have been pushed out to +2500. If they are to defy those lowly odds and take the fight to Pep Guardiola’s men, then these five players will need to prove their worth, and fast. 

Mykhailo Mudryk

Perhaps the first of Chelsea’s many eye-catching signings was the addition of Mykhaylo Mudryk, who arrived at Stamford Bridge with much fanfare. His explosive pace and flair on the ball made him a tantalizing prospect, and it looked as though the Ukrainian would make the move to Arsenal before the Blues swooped in at the last minute. The club paid a mighty £88.5m to Shakhtar Donetsk to secure his services, before offering him a nine-year £100k per week salary. 

With such a contract on offer, many expected Mudryk to set the world alight upon his arrival, and he looked like a prodigy in his debut away at Liverpool. However, since then, the Ukrainian international’s performances have been inconsistent at best, raising questions about his adaptation to the Premier League’s physicality and tactical demands. So far throughout his 18 months in west London, he has only been able to muster up a paltry return of seven goals and five assists in 62 appearances. 

As such then, the 2024/25 season is crucial for Mudryk to establish himself as a regular starter. Success would mean becoming a pivotal part of Chelsea’s attacking arsenal, contributing goals and assists regularly while maintaining discipline and resilience. For Mudryk, proving his worth could transform Chelsea’s front line, and the club will be hoping he can do exactly that because the winger’s value is already two-thirds the amount that they paid for him a year and a half ago. 

Enzo Fernández

Enzo Fernández’s transfer to Chelsea was one of the most talked-about moves in history, with the midfielder arriving for a British record of £106.8m from Benfica last winter. The Artgetninian headed to the Bridge off the back of helping his country win the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, and he was being hailed as a future star by the club’s supporters. He was elected to become a linchpin in Chelsea’s midfield thanks to his technical ability and vision, but so far he too has been unable to establish himself as a superstar. 

It appears that the weight of expectation on Fernández’s young shoulders is heavy. The former River Plate man must demonstrate he can handle the physical rigours of the Premier League while dictating the tempo of matches as he did with Benfica and as he regularly does with La Albiceleste on the international stage. He has been given the role of stand-in captain following yet another injury woe to usual skipper Reece JAmes, but he has yet to develop into a leader on the field. 

Christopher Nkunku

Christopher Nkunku’s arrival at Chelsea was met with optimism, given his versatility and proven track record in the Bundesliga. He was the man expected to end the club’s striking woes since the departure of Diego Costa some seven years ago. Since the maverick Brazilian-born-Spaniard’s departure from Stamford Bridge, the Blues have had the likes of Alvaro Morata, Gonzalo Higuain, and Olivier Giroud lead the line, to differing levels of success. 

Nkunku was meant to be the one to solve that striking problem. However, he was downed in his first preseason with the club with an injury, an injury that restricted him to just 11 Premier League appearances last season. Now, he is fully fit, but finds himself as the current second choice, with Enzo Maresca so far preferring to select Nicholas Jackson as his sole striker. 

Adapting to the Premier League is no small feat, and that may well be why the current Chelsea boss has relegated his French striker to a backup role so far this term. Nkunku must showcase his adaptability, whether deployed as a forward or in a deeper playmaking role, whenever he is given the opportunity. 

If he can replicate the success he showed with RB Leipzig, where he scored 70 goals in 172 appearances, then he will surely find himself leading the line for the Blues for years to come. However, if he is unable to find his shooting boots, then he may well end up being ushered out of the club next summer.