Christmas is here, but the football season has not slowed down as Chelsea return to Premier League action on Boxing Day with a difficult home clash against Fulham.
Enzo Maresca 's side have enjoyed a promising first half of the campaign as they find themselves second in the table and a mere four points behind leaders Liverpool. Chelsea were unable to claim top spot themselves last time out due to a goalless draw away at Everton, but the London club will be confident they can keep the pace in the coming weeks.
The January transfer window is also set to open in just a matter of days, which means clubs across the division will be scrambling to get deals over the line in the short month long window. Chelsea themselves have been active in the winter market in recent years, although it appears more outgoings are likely this time around given recent speculation in the media.
Here, Football.london take a look at some of the latest headlines and rumours from in and around Stamford Bridge this Christmas.
Chelsea star offered to Barcelona
Chelsea forward Christopher Nkunku is looking to depart the club in search of more regular first team football, according to reports in Spain this week. The 27-year-old signed for the Blues from RB Leipzig in the summer of 2023 for a significant £52m, but he never quite kicked on in his first season due to injuries.
Nkunku is fit and firing this term, but isn't fancied by the manager. The striker has started just two Premier League games so far this season and has accumulated a little over 1,000 minutes of action across all competitions.
According to Spanish outlet SPORT, Nkunku’s agent Pini Zahavi has offered his client to La Liga giants Barcelona. The Catalan giants were keen on the player during his Leipzig days and could reignite their interest if an opportunity presents itself.
Football.london says: It's clear Nkunku's move to Chelsea hasn't quite worked out. It would be interesting to know what his status in the squad would be had he not suffered such an injury-ravaged first season, but he is simply not getting the minutes he will desperately want at this stage of his career. If Chelsea are to pursue other striker targets in January or the summer, you have to feel speculation surrounding Nkunku's future will only intensify, hinting that his fate has already been decided.
Axel Disasi race heats up
In other news, another of Chelsea's recent signings could already be looking for a way out in Axel Disasi. The 26-year-old defender also joined the club in the summer of 2023, but has struggled for game time this season under Maresca with just 14 appearances across all competitions so far.
Italian giants Juventus have been heavily linked with the Frenchman in recent weeks, although recent reports suggest Disasi also has interest from the Bundesliga. According to Sky Sports in Switzerland, Bayer Leverkusen have already made enquiries with the player's entourage about his availability.
Leverkusen's interest in Disasi reportedly stems from the uncertainty surrounding the future of one of their own defenders, Jonathan Tah. The 28-year-old has been linked with both Barcelona and Real Madrid in recent times and could depart the Bundesliga champions in January.
Football.london says: It seems there is plenty of interest in Disasi, if these reports from across Europe are anything to go by. If he is looking for a way out of Chelsea, then he certainly won't be devoid of options. There has been conflicting reports, to say the least, with some sections of the media insisting the player has no desire to leave in January despite the lack of playing time. Only time will tell, but Maresca could certainly do with Disasi as an option in the latter stages of this season at least, especially if the club opt against signing defensive reinforcements next month.
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Chelsea flag prior the UEFA Champions League Quarter Final Leg One match between Chelsea FC and Real Madrid at Stamford Bridge. (Photo by Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
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