Enzo Maresca needs to unleash one man as Chelsea face Christopher Nkunku transfer wait
Stephen Warnock believes Trevoh Chalobah has to get regular game time at Chelsea after the defender was recalled from his loan spell at Crystal Palace earlier in the week.
The 25-year-old will arrive back at Cobham with his loan deal with the Eagles cut short on Wednesday with the Blues' hand somewhat forced because of injuries to both Wesley Fofana and Benoit Badiashile. football.london understands the club maintained a strong relationship with Chalobah throughout his loan spell at Selhurst Park and the defender wanted to return to Stamford Bridge.
After featuring 14 times under Oliver Glasner in all competitions, Chalobah will be hoping to play even more under Enzo Maresca. With such a limited pool of centre-backs at his disposal right now, Maresca could potentially give Chalobah a game when Chelsea welcome Wolves to Stamford Bridge on Monday evening.
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Josh Acheampong has partnered Levi Colwill in the last two Premier League games, while Tosin Adarabioyo has been in and out of the team. Axel Disasi, meanwhile, was left out of the Blues' 20-man squad in the draw with Bournemouth on Tuesday with the Frenchman likely to leave the club during the January transfer window.
"I feel like Chelsea were almost forced into recalling Trevoh Chalobah from Crystal Palace," Warnock said to BetBrain. "They need reinforcements at the back and Chalobah has done really well whilst he's been at Palace - he's been instrumental in how they've rediscovered a bit of form in recent weeks.
"Chalobah is a good player and I really like him. He's strong, athletic and reads the game well. However, he needs to get some game time - it's so frustrating watching players recalled just to make up the numbers, so he needs the opportunity to show Enzo Maresca what he can do."
Meanwhile, at the other end of the pitch, Christopher Nkunku is being strongly linked with an exit from Chelsea this month. football.london reported earlier in the week that the France international is of serious interest to Bayern Munich this month with talks underway with Chelsea for his signature.
Chelsea would only accept upwards of £60million for the versatile forward, who was brought to the club in the summer of 2023 for around £52million from RB Leipzig. Warnock believes Chelsea would be more open to selling Nkunku should it be to a foreign side rather than the 27-year-old moving elsewhere in the Premier League, with Manchester United one of the clubs linked in recent months.
Warnock added: "The possible Christopher Nkunku sale to Bayern Munich is an interesting one. I don't think Chelsea want to sell players back into the Premier League because they don't want them to come back and haunt them, like we've seen with other players in the past.
"Nkunku hasn't had much Premier League game time this season. I don't know whether he fits the system Enzo Maresca wants to play.
"I think by selling him, Maresca feels like that frees up a place for a player that he wants to bring in who can play in that central position. I don't think it's a bad thing for Chelsea, to be honest - he's been a player who's been on the periphery of the squad and it's obvious that Maresca prefers Nicolas Jackson leading the line."