Chelsea FC: Enzo Maresca pushes for the departure of Nkunku and Jackson | OneFootball

The Italian coach definitively excludes the two strikers from his project

Christopher Nkunku & Nicolas Jackson / Chelsea FC

Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson are no longer part of Enzo Maresca's plans at Chelsea. The Italian coach has officially confirmed that both forwards are free to leave Stamford Bridge before the transfer window closes on September 1.

Maresca has made a radical decision regarding the future of the two attacking players. The arrivals of João Pedro and Liam Delap this summer have completely reshuffled the cards in the Blues' attacking department. These new signings have pushed Nkunku and Jackson down the pecking order, similar to other players such as Raheem Sterling, João Félix, or Kurt Zouma, who have also been shown the door.

The new Blues boss clarified the situation of the two strikers during a press conference on Thursday, August 21, 2025, where he announced that they would not be part of the squad to face West Ham. Maresca was very straightforward in his statements

The message is clear. The French international Christopher Nkunku is attracting interest from Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig, his former club. The versatile attacking midfielder could therefore return to the Bundesliga, where he previously excelled. As for Nicolas Jackson, the situation is evolving quickly with intensive contacts over the last 48 hours. Newcastle United and Bayern Munich have renewed talks for the Senegalese forward, while Aston Villa are also pushing hard to sign him, with Unai Emery determined to bring his former protégé to the Midlands.