Enzo Maresca must really regret £36m deal after Chelsea receive double setback

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Chelsea sold a lot of players in the summer transfer window, and Enzo Maresca could really do with one of them right now.

On deadline day, Nicolas Jackson left for Bayern Munich, while the likes of Christopher Nkunku and Joao Felix departed before the Senegal international.

Chelsea fans were happy to see Nkunku leave, believing his sale to AC Milan was good business.

Maresca, though, probably wishes that he had Nkunku, Jackson or even Felix in his squad right now.

• READ MORE: Enzo Maresca’s dream 2026 signing is so obvious after being let down by Chelsea’s sporting directors

Christopher Nkunku could have helped with Liam Delap and Fermin Lopez blow

Maresca could be without Liam Delap for a while after the striker injured his hamstring in Chelsea‘s 2-0 win against Fulham just before the international break.

The Italian was also dealt another blow when Chelsea’s bid for Fermin Lopez was not accepted by Barcelona.

The Blues identified the Spaniard and Xavi Simons as targets for the attacking midfielder position but failed to sign either.

In Nkunku, Chelsea had a player who could be used as a No.10 and as a centre-forward. Simply put, the 27-year-old could have replaced the injured Delap and also covered for Cole Palmer, the team’s first-choice No.10.

Chelsea have summoned Marc Guiu back from his loan at Sunderland and signed Facundo Buonanotte from Brighton & Hove Albion on a short-term deal.

However, neither player is as experienced as Nkunku or on his level yet. Of course, the Frenchman was keen to join Milan, who paid £36m for his signature, after failing to nail down a starting spot under Maresca.

But after everything that has happened at Stamford Bridge in recent weeks, you cannot help but feel that Nkunku could have been the solution.

Christopher Nkunku explains why Chelsea move never worked out

For as talented a player as Nkunku is, he never quite managed to make an impact during his time in west London, and the France international has explained why.

“I think everything was perfect when I arrived, but then I got injured and was out for many months,” Nkunku was quoted as saying by Tuttomercatoweb. “I was really eager to return, and then I had another muscle problem.

“I was fine in my second year, but then the coach made other decisions. I’m still the same player who scored twice in Bergamo.”

Chelsea will survive without Nkunku, and again, the former RB Leipzig man wanted a transfer so that he could get more game time. But if Maresca could take him back at this very moment, he would.