According to the French press, the Club World Cup final against Paris Saint-Germain could be the last time Christopher Nkunku plays for Chelsea.
The relationship between Maresca and Nkunku is still unclear, the source said. The reason is that the Italian coach has never really trusted Nkunku to play as a center forward.
In recent training sessions, Maresca has even experimented with Nkunku in the... defensive midfield position. This is clearly unusual, as the former Leipzig striker shined as a striker in the Bundesliga.
Observers say this is a psychological test, or simply a part of the overall assessment that Maresca is conducting on the entire squad.
However, if we look at it more closely, it can be seen that Maresca's tactical calculations are not simply to "ness value" Nkunku. The 44-year-old is building Chelsea in a system that promotes ball control and flexible rotation between lines.
In that formation, players like Cole Palmer - who is capable of keeping the ball and moving between corridors - are favored. Maresca seems to want a true false 9: knowing how to coordinate, retreat deep and regulate the tempo, rather than the type of player who likes to aim straight and exploit space like Nkunku.
Chelsea's recruitment of Liam Delap from Ipswich and Joao Pedro from Brighton further reinforced the argument that Maresca is prioritizing a young striker, in line with the rotation and high pressing philosophy.
Thus, Nkunku is facing the choice of either changing to adapt, or choosing to leave this summer 2025.
