Chelsea chiefs under fire as Enzo Maresca makes surprising statement with £63m wasted

Chelsea’s top executives, Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart, are facing increasing criticism as the club’s ongoing struggle to secure a reliable striker continues—despite having spent a staggering £63 million on new talent. The growing frustration among supporters highlights deeper concerns about the club’s transfer strategy and the effectiveness of its leadership.

Since joining Chelsea in January 2023 after previous roles at Brighton and Monaco, Winstanley and Stewart have played a pivotal role in shaping the club’s recruitment policy, with a strong emphasis on acquiring young talent. However, despite their aggressive approach to squad building, many fans remain unconvinced that this significant investment—totaling an eye-watering £1.3 billion in transfer spending—has translated into genuine on-field success. Supporters are increasingly questioning whether the club’s financial outlay has been justified, given the lack of tangible improvements in key areas, particularly in the striker department.

For quite some time now, Chelsea’s need for a prolific, established goal-scorer has been glaringly apparent. Yet, despite this obvious weakness, the club opted not to strengthen its attacking options in either the summer or January transfer windows—an omission that could prove costly as they push for a Champions League spot. Instead, Winstanley and Stewart seem to be pinning their hopes on making a marquee signing in the upcoming summer window. However, Chelsea fans have good reason to be skeptical. Last summer, the club pursued Napoli’s Victor Osimhen but ultimately failed to secure his signature due to concerns over his high wage demands. This raises an important question: if Chelsea knew financial constraints could be a stumbling block, why engage in negotiations without a clear and structured financial plan in place?

Now, with Nicolas Jackson unavailable, Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has made a statement that has caught many by surprise. Even though Christopher Nkunku has demonstrated his attacking prowess with 13 goals this season, Maresca remains adamant that the Frenchman is not a natural striker.

“I’ve said since day one, Christo is not a number nine; he’s an attacking midfielder. We know very well that Christo is not a nine,” Maresca stated firmly on Thursday.

Faced with limited options, Maresca has hinted at some unconventional tactical adjustments in the attack. “Pedro [Neto], Noni [Madueke], or even Tyrique [George]—they might be options for us. Jadon [Sancho] brings a different skill set. When you don’t have a traditional striker, you have to adapt the way you play. We will find a solution.”

Although Maresca appears confident in his ability to adapt, the pressure on Chelsea’s leadership continues to mount. With no immediate fix in sight and frustration among fans growing, a crucial question remains unanswered: has Chelsea’s record-breaking spending spree genuinely strengthened the squad, or has it merely been an extravagant miscalculation?