5 Michael Olise alternatives who Chelsea could pursue
#1. Carney Chukwuemeka
If there’s been one flaw in Chelsea’s summer transfer plans, it’s how aggressive they’ve been in regards to their efforts to sign seemingly every player possible. If the goal was to sign Olise as Nkunku cover, was there a plan for him when Nkunku returned? And if so, what would become of Noni Madueke and Carney Chukwuemeka?
Right now, we won’t have to worry about that. Madueke is still getting his fitness back in order after a late preseason arrival, but Chukwuemeka started for Chelsea against Liverpool, in arguably one of the biggest games of the season for the Blues. The fact that Pochettino was willing to include a 19 year old in the starting XI, after already dropping Mudryk for a tactical change, speaks volumes to how the Argentine views Chukwuemeka.
Last season, under Graham Potter, Frank Lampard, and Thomas Tuchel, Chukwuemeka appeared in just 14 games, and started only two of them. One game into the season, and he’s already approaching his career-high in PL starts. The Austrian-born midfielder could certainly improve his end product, but faith from the coaching staff and consistent minutes will go a very long way in his development.
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Sure, injuries happen, and they aren’t fun. At this point in the window though, Chelsea should not force themselves into another aggressive, or otherwise bad, business decision. If the game against Liverpool showed us anything, it’s that Pochettino will find ways to work through the situation, and Chukwuemeka is capable of handling business if and when he’s called upon.