Chelsea FC is among the most decorated Premier League teams in the last two decades. The club’s most recent history has been one of turmoil that is evidently ending. When Todd Boehly took over the club in 2022, Blues fans knew things would never be the same. Whenever American owners take over a European football club, they want to bring some of that US sports culture across the big pond.
Sometimes, things take a u-turn, and fans are usually against changing decade-standing traditions. Boehly had a plan for his new sports team and did not save any money on making his ideas stick. Two years ago, Chelsea FC appeared to be a club on the brink of relegation. Managerial changes, too many signings, and FFP standing over the club as a shadow made it seem that the glory days were over.
Yet, today, halfway through the 2024/25 season, Chelsea FC is taking shape and form that resembles the teams of old that brought so much success to this London football club. In this article, we will walk you through the highlights of the 2024/25 Chelsea FC season and tell you which players to watch on their road to the peak of English Football.
The Appointment of Enzo Maresca
The biggest complaint toward the new ownership from the fans was the managerial carousel that went on and on for the last three years. From Frank Lampard, Tomas Tuchel, Mauricio Pochettino, and now Maresca, the fans have found it hard to accept a new manager every few months. The team lacked identity, new signings were slow to gel, and the results were subpar. It all changed with the appointment of the Italian manager, Enzo Maresca.
Another Pep Guardiola disciple took the team over the summer, quickly implemented his play style, and got Chelsea FC youngsters playing up to their potential. After early-career success with Leicester City in the Championship, Enzo continues his story in London with one of England’s most prominent teams. His appointment was the early highlight of the 2024/25 Chelsea FC season. If you’re a betting man, go to Stake.com and bet on Enzo to win the Manager of the Year award, as he’s that good and will be better as the year progresses.
Calm Summer Transfer Window
Todd Boehly taught us to expect big transfers every summer with Chelsea. While the Blues spent substantially over the summer, there were no ground-breaking moves. The team returned Joao Felix from Atletico Madrid and Pedro Neto from Wolves as the most significant summer spending. Also, they loaned Jadon Sancho and bought Renato Veiga from Basel. All of these players are finding minutes under the new manager, who likes to rotate a lot, and due to fixture congestion, he has to do so. Big squads will soon become the norm in European football, and Chelsea FC will have bragging rights for being a pioneer in squad construction.
Premier League Comeback
While Chelsea FC enters every year with high expectations and ambition, it was hard to put them as favorites to win the PL this season. Many experts in online sports betting circles didn’t even see them as favorites to finish in the top spots that come with Champions League football. Yet, Enzo and his boys proved everyone wrong. Chelsea FC comfortably sits at position No4 with 36 points from 20 games. This team has proved to be able to take on any given opponent.
The best part is that they are playing pretty, free-flowing, and attacking football that saw them score 39 goals in 20 matches, averaging almost two goals per game. The downside to their style is that they also concede a lot, and with 24 conceded goals, they can’t say they’re the defensive powerhouse they were in the past. With 18 more games to go, the fight to get back to the top of English football continues, and we’re sure that Chelsea FC will be successful in that quest.
UEFA Conference League Dominance
Last year, Chelsea FC finished the year at position no6, which saw them play in the UEFA Conference League because Manchester United took home the FA Cup. While this competition appeared to have no significance for the Blues at the start of the season, a team filled with youngsters showed they had the highest possible competitive spirit. Some of the best Chelsea FC players, such as Cole Palmer, are not registered for the Conference League. Yet, they are playing like the favorites to win this competition.
So far, the Blues have played six games in this competition, winning all six. The best part is that they have the best attack with 26 goals and the tied-best defense in the competition with only 5 goals conceded. With 18 points to their name and only two games to go, Chelsea FC will win this group stage, giving them more weeks to rest. They will receive an easier opponent in the knockout stages of the UEFA Conference League. While this team will focus on having the best possible results in the PL, a young manager such as Maresca and a team filled with talented youngsters will look to add this trophy to the Chelsea FC trophy cabinet and their resumes.
Late Year Collapse
It’s been a rollercoaster season for Chelsea FC so far. While they had the highest of highs in the league and Europe, they haven’t finished the last year in style or started the new year any better. It is a shame for this young squad and the club to have a drop in form at the end of the year, when the schedule is most congested in the Premier League, more than in any other league in the world. It all started with a draw against Everton away.
The 0-0 draw against relegation strugglers obviously took a mental hit on Chelsea FC youngsters. They followed it up with two surprising defeats against Fulham and Ipswich, only to secure a draw against Crystal Palace. With a drop in form at an unfortunate moment, it appears that Chelsea FC is out of the title race, barring an even bigger Liverpool collapse. They remain in the Champions League spots, and we’re sure we will see them come to the end of the year, but at one point, it seemed as if we were witnessing a fairy tale title run by the Blues.
Players to Watch
Chelsea FC is having a lovely season, still being active in the FA Cup, safely first in the Europa Conference League, and still trying to push Liverpool for the title despite trailing behind for the better part of the season. Most fans of Chelsea FC are looking forward to the coming years in which their star players will mature and reach their peaks. Some of them are showing significant potential on the field, and we expect more of the same in the next month. If you haven’t been paying attention to Chelsea this year, you can start now, and these are the players you should keep your eyes on.
Cole Palmer
While we’ve only entered the fifth year of this decade, Cole Palmer’s transfer from Manchester City to Chelsea FC is the bargain of the decade. Not many sport bets predicted that Palmer would have such a stellar start to his Blues career. Yet, here we are, having the pleasure of watching one of the most talented English youngsters who came through the ranks in recent years. Last year, Palmer had 22 goals and 11 assists in only 33 games. He continued This year in the same vein, and only Mo Salah could brag that he is having a better year than Palmer. Chelsea FC and England youngster is scoring and assisting left and right, and in 20 games, he has 13 goals and 6 assists.
As the year goes on, we can expect more of the same. Palmer is one of the most talented footballers in the world. His immaculate technique and perfect vision enable him to prove his worth game in and out in both goals and assists. A dead-ball specialist, he’s a menace from free kicks, penalties, and corners. Suppose Palmer continues his career on the trajectory he’s on now. In that case, we may be talking about a Chelsea FC legend, and he’ll be mentioned in the same vein as other Blues greats such as Frank Lampard or John Terry. Palmer is, without a doubt, a Chelsea FC Player, and everyone should be watching this year and in the seasons to come.
Nicolas Jackson
Like Cole Palmer, Nicolas Jackson is in his second season at Chelsea FC and has been getting a lot of praise and criticism. During his debut season, Jackson scored 14 goals and assisted 5 more. These stats earned him an extension to his existing contract, and this year, he was expected to take another step forward. While he has a solid season with 9 goals and 3 assists in 19 games, Jackson has been inconsistent throughout the year. Add some of his misses to the equation, and one could start arguing that efficiency is a problem of his. Being surrounded by Palmer, Fernandez, Madueke, and Joao Felix, he has little excuses for his big misses this year.
Nonetheless, Jackson is the most prolific striker in the current Chelsea squad. Many fans argue that the team would be better with Victor Osimeh as the starting No9, while Nicolas should be the backup. We beg to differ, as the Senegalese striker is one of the most talented players of his age. With more patience from Marseca and the fans, he could become the team’s next Didier Drogba. He needs to do much better for that to happen, but it is within his reach. Have a bit more patience, and trust us, Jackson is one to be watched in the coming months, as we believe he will have another good spring on the island.
Noni Madueke
Madueke is another youngster looking to make a name for himself in history and Chelsea FC books. A menace on the right wing, Noni has yet to establish himself as the starter in this Chelsea FC side, but he’s on the right path to do it. Madueke is in his third Blues season, and he’s been elevating his game each year. Last year, he ended the year with 23 games under his belt, paired with 5 goals and 2 assists. He is doing much better this year, with 5 goals and 3 assists in 18 games. While a tad bit inconsistent, Noni can’t be stopped on his day. A pacey winger with a penchant for a goal, Noni proved he could play at the highest level.
Christopher Nkunku
Nkunku came to Chelsea FC as a massive reinforcement for the new regime, but injuries have derailed his career. Yet, Enzo Maresca was patient with him and has been slowly easing him into the first 11. While his league numbers are not too impressive, as he only scored 2 goals and assisted 1 in 18 league appearances, he didn’t play 90 minutes every time. Instead, for the majority of his minutes this year, the former RB Leipzig player got in the Conference League.
There, Nkunku scored 5 goals and assisted 3 more. Yes, the competition is much weaker in the third European competition based on the strength of the teams, but Christopher has been slowly building his confidence back. It is only a matter of time before he starts firing on all cylinders in the Premier League. With the number of games Chelsea FC will have in the coming months, we fully expect Christopher to start regularly showing why he was brought over from the Bundesliga.
A Good Time to Support Chelsea
Considering everything surrounding Chelsea FC in recent years, they’re having a good season. Their players are all young and full of potential, and it’s only a matter of time before they start playing up to their abilities. Some of them are already doing that, as we suggested above. This is a good time to start if you want to follow how Chelsea FC is going through their rebuild. Watch out not to become a fan, as that could quickly happen. You’ve been warned.