Chelsea have a lot of belief in one player despite him having barely played since joining the club.
This season, Chelsea have had many injury problems, which undoubtedly contributed to them finishing outside of the top four.
The likes of Wesley Fofana, Christopher Nkunku and Romeo Lavia struggled to stay fit.
Lavia was only able to make one appearance, while Fofana did not feature at all.
Nkunku, however, was at least able to play 14 times and score a few goals. The Frenchman went with Moises Caicedo’s strike against Bournemouth on the last day of the campaign when choosing his Chelsea goal of the season.
Chelsea backing big-money signing to become important first-team player
Nkunku, Lavia and Fofana were not cheap signings for Chelsea. In fact, Fofana is one of the most expensive arrivals in the club’s history.
Because of his injury problems, he has not been able to justify his transfer fee yet.
However, according to journalist Simon Phillips, Chelsea still have a lot of confidence in the central defender.
Discussing Fofana on his Substack, Phillips wrote: “Fofana was a big early investment by the Chelsea owners, and there remains a lot of belief in his ability, that he can be pinnacle to the team and be an important first-team player.”
Who could start instead of Wesley Fofana next season?
Described as a “very special player” by Gary Lineker, of course Chelsea are going to want to have Fofana available next season.
However, the 23-year-old’s injury record remains a concern. The above is just not a guarantee.
It means Fulham’s Tosin Adarabioyo could start in Chelsea’s first team next term alongside Levi Colwill or Benoit Badiashile, for example.
The Blues are close to signing the 26-year-old from their west London rivals, with Fabrizio Romano recently revealing how they won the race for him.
Axel Disasi is also another option if Fofana cannot stay fit during the 2024/25 campaign, but Trevoh Chalobah may not be, as he continues to be linked with a move away from Chelsea.