Chelsea face Noni Madueke DILEMMA amid Olise pursuit

Cameron Smith

• Updated: 18 Jun 2024 19:31 BST
• 3 min read

After an underwhelming first 12 months at Chelsea, Noni Madueke finally found his feet during the final few weeks of the 2023-24 campaign.

With Cole Palmer moving into a No.10 role following Enzo Fernandez’s hernia issue, Madueke was handed nine consecutive Premier League starts to end the season and he rewarded Mauricio Pochettino with several eye-catching performances.

The England U21 international ended his first full season at Chelsea with 11 goal contributions in all competitions and five of those came during the final nine league games of the campaign.

READ MORE: Premier League summer transfers 2024 - All the Done Deals

However, Madueke and Chelsea now face a major dilemma.

The Blues have identified Crystal Palace winger Michael Olise as their priority summer target, after weeks of interest last year, and they are reportedly confident of reaching an agreement to sign the Frenchman.

READ MORE: Chelsea Transfer News Today - Olise PRIORITY, Lima HIJACK and Madueke to LEAVE?

Noni Madueke to leave Chelsea?

The Athletic have reported that Chelsea want two key players in every position, suggesting Madueke will not leave if Olise arrives, but the 22-year-old has reported interest from Juventus and there are certainly question marks over whether he will remain at Stamford Bridge in the event that Olise joins.

After all, while Madueke is evidently a talented player, Olise appears to be a level above and his tally of 16 goals and assists in just 19 Premier League appearances last season certainly points to this.

After spending the first year of his Chelsea career as a rotation option, Madueke may not be willing to return to this role if Olise arrives.

As a result, Chelsea must decide whether or not to keep him this summer.

The Englishman’s performances during the final few weeks of the season were extremely promising and he showed glimpses of the player that shone so brightly at PSV Eindhoven.

He also possesses raw pace that isn’t present in Olise’s game and this could be a crucial factor in Chelsea’s decision.

However, the Blues risk keeping an unhappy player in their ranks if Madueke is demoted to second-choice behind Olise.

Ultimately, Enzo Maresca must ensure that he is able to keep both players happy, but if this isn’t possible, then Madueke may have to be sacrificed in order for Chelsea to prioritise Olise.