Three Chelsea Men's players with a 'make-or-break' season ahead of them
As the 2024/25 slowly enters into view, the incoming season will provide the last chances to impress for some of the Chelsea squad.
Patience is in limited supply at Chelsea Football Club. Despite initially looking to move on from the rash decisions of the Roman Abramovich era, the new owners, BlueCo, have gone through four managers since buying the club in 2022.
This high turnover approach has also made its way onto the pitch as the club got rid of players such as Kalidou Koulibaly and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang after just one season, whilst also ousting big-money signings such as Kai Havertz and Romelu Lukaku. Even Chelsea’s golden boy, Mason Mount, was not safe as the owners gladly sold the former Cobham graduate to Manchester United last year.
This means that much of the Chelsea squad are playing with a proverbial axe dangling above their head, with the chop seemingly only a few bad performances away. But new seasons bring new opportunities, and some players need these opportunities more than others.
Noni Madueke
The tricky winger joined the club from PSV Eindhoven in January 2023 for £29 million, and since then he has caught the eye of many fans and pundits. The Englishman’s exciting flare and ability to progress the ball up the pitch made him one of the few bright spots in the dismal final matches of the 2022/23. A notable highlight was the Blue’s only goal in a 3-1 defeat to Arsenal. The only goal they would score against the Gunners all season.
Madueke pushed on in 2023/24, picking up five goals and two assists in a season marred by multiple injuries. The winger notably improved in the second half of the season providing exceptional goals against Luton and Leicester, as well as winning the penalty which started the monumental comeback in the 4-3 victory at home to Manchester United. Of course, he was involved in the infamous penalty squabble during the 6-0 win over Everton, but fortunately, this was the last time something of this nature occurred.
However, with a season and a half under his belt, the winger will now be more susceptible to criticism. Whilst his previous season’s output was nothing to scoff at, an increase is certainly required. Flashy footwork is all well and good, but if it does not always translate into goal contributions, questions about Madueke’s future will have to be asked. The conundrum is only exacerbated for the Englishman when a new winger could be brought in as early as this month.
Mykhailo Mudryk
Another winger under the cosh is Mykhailo Mudryk. Also brought in during the January 2023 transfer window, the £88.5 million Ukrainian arrived from Shakhtar Donetsk with much anticipation from supporters. Possessing an electric pace and eye for goal, many a Chelsea fan believed they had a future Balon d'Or winner on their hands.
Alas, Mudryk has not quite progressed as much as he nor Chelsea would have liked. The winger failed to find the net during his first half-season at the club and failed to kick on afterward. Apart from a wonder goal against Arsenal in the league, and an important equaliser against Newcastle United in the League Cup quarter-final (Chelsea would go on to win the tie via penalties), it is fair to say the Ukrainian had quite a dull 2023/24. Five goals and two assists is an improvement on the season prior, but not the return one would hope from a winger who cost so much.
Similar to Madueke’s predicament, Chelsea are eyeing up other players in Mudryk’s left-wing role. Names such as Kauro Mitoma, Federico Chiesa, and Mathys Tel have been thrown about by various media outlets, plus, it now seems likely Enzo Maresca will opt to play Christopher Nkunku on the left flank, further infringing on Mudryk’s potential minutes.
Mudryk has a lot to prove this season, with double-digit goal contributions an absolute minimum for the winger. Anything less could see Chelsea’s colossal investment forced out of the club by new arrivals.
Wesley Fofana
Whilst it might seem harsh to claim time is running out for a player whose Chelsea career has been marred by injury, Wesley Fofana’s future at the club must be considered due to the amount invested into him.
The French centre-back arrived at the club almost two-years ago for a fee of £75 million and placed on an alleged wage of £200,000 a week, putting him in the top five of earners at the club. Fofana started well but missed large chunks of the 2022/23 through a recurring knee injury. Things only got worse for Fofana as he would go on to miss the entirety of last season after tearing a cruciate ligament during pre-season. In total, he has missed 475 days in two years as a Chelsea player.
With all this in mind, a (mostly) injury-free season is required for Fofana. Since his arrival, four more center-backs have signed for the club, with Levi Colwill also being integrated into the squad after successful loan spells. So replacements for Fofana are not just being scouted, they are already at the club. Also, Fofana’s contract was given to him before the sporting directors introduced the controversial wage structure, so if the Frenchman provides another lackluster season, Chelsea higher-ups may take the opportunity to prune an outlier from their framework.
All the players in this list have their shortcomings, but they also have many plaudits, and they have all shown why this is the case on the pitch. But with Chelsea’s recent turbulent form, consistency is key, and Madueke, Mudryk, and Fofana need to offer that this season, or they will be facing the harsh realities of new-age Chelsea.