Chelsea's forgotten men Christopher Nkunku & Romeo Lavia proving they can be game-changers under Enzo Maresca after double injury nightmare
GettyTwo players who were absent for most of the previous season are demonstrating in pre-season that they could be considered as new acquisitions for the Blues.
Christopher Nkunku and Romeo Lavia are evidently eager to compensate for the time they lost. They joined the team during the tumultuous high-budget summer of 2023 when Chelsea spent a total of £110 million ($141m) on them. However, they spent most of the last season on the bench, observing their colleagues struggle under Mauricio Pochettino’s leadership.
After suffering an untimely injury in pre-season, Nkunku only managed to make 14 appearances in all competitions. Lavia had even worse luck, as an injury-plagued individual campaign limited him to a single 32-minute cameo in December.
As a new season approaches, two players who have patiently awaited their opportunity to shine are finally seeing the light. Both have demonstrated their skills in pre-season and appear ready to become key players at Stamford Bridge. The newly appointed head coach, Enzo Maresca, could be the perfect person to capitalize on their talents.
