Enzo Fernandez and Joao Pedro agreement reached as eight Chelsea stars scrutinised

Our Chelsea writers discuss and debate the winners and losers of the season so far, with some Blues stars impressing and others really struggling this term

After such a promising conclusion to the 2024/25 season, there were high hopes going into the new campaign for Chelsea.

Enzo Maresca had just led the Blues to European success in the Conference League and shortly after, they were crowned champions of the world after beating Paris Saint-Germain 3-0 in New Jersey. A multitude of players were brought in to give Maresca the tools to compete on all fronts this season.

However, for a number of reasons, that has not been the case, not least the mid-season managerial change.

The defeat to Everton at the weekend means it is now mathematically impossible for Chelsea to win the Premier League, not that they were in contention before the loss at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, anyway. PSG dumped the Blues out of the Champions League last week, with the European champions dominating over two legs to win 8-2.

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The FA Cup is a possibility for Chelsea, with League One side Port Vale the only thing standing in the way of a semi-final at Wembley. Apart from that, their focus is now ensuring they qualify for the Champions League next season, but given their recent form, that has also become much more difficult.

From Chelsea's perspective, there have been winners and losers on the pitch this season. Some have impressed, while others have done the opposite. So, with this being said, our Chelsea writers Bobby Vincent and Jake Stokes discuss their three winners and three losers of the campaign at Stamford Bridge.

Bobby Vincent

Joao Pedro - Winner

The Brazil international has been a revelation since signing for Chelsea for £60million last summer. Joao Pedro shone during a brief cameo at the Club World Cup and continued such form into the start of the 2025/26 season.

The 24-year-old has featured 43 times for the Blues this term - with only Pedro Neto and Enzo Fernandez having more appearances under their belt. Joao Pedro has scored 18 goals and provided nine assists in all competitions. There were a few raised eyebrows at the £60m price tag but that is looking more and more like a snip with each goal the Brazilian forward bags.

Enzo Fernandez - Winner

Fernandez has come in for a lot of criticism recently after his comments hinting at a departure from Stamford Bridge in the summer but on the pitch, the Argentine has been excellent this season. The 25-year-old midfielder has an astonishing 46 appearances to his name this term - more than anyone else at the club, and that in itself is quite telling.

With 12 goals and six assists, Fernandez has continued to shine at Stamford Bridge after a wonderful 2024/25 season as well. Let's hope Chelsea and Fernandez continue together because the Argentina international has the potential to become a legend at the west London club.

Reece James - Winner

James has made 36 appearances this season, an undeniable improvement given his recent injury troubles. Unfortunately, the Chelsea captain recently suffered a hamstring injury and it is not quite clear when he will return to action.

Either way, this season has to be seen as progress for James. Not only because he has managed to get himself on the pitch, but also because of his performance levels. The 26-year-old, whether it be in midfield or at right-back, has been consistently excellent.

Cole Palmer - Loser

It feels wrong almost to have Palmer on this list but there's no denying he has not been at the level we know he can play at. That of course has been impacted greatly by his complicated groin injury which has affected him all season-long.

Palmer has 10 goals to his name in all competitions, which is low for his ridiculously high standards. Let's hope he can find some sort of form for the run-in once club football returns.

Liam Delap - Loser

There aren't many people that can deny Delap has not lived up to expectations at Chelsea since signing for £30m. The 23-year-old striker has looked out of place at times in this Blues side - there does seem to be too much of a plan to play to Delap's strengths.

Delap has scored just twice in 32 appearances in all competitions. If he remains at Chelsea next season, the head coach needs to find a way of playing to the striker's strengths much more.

Romeo Lavia - Loser

The aim going into the season, similarly to the aforementioned James, would have been simply to get on the pitch more. Once again, however, Lavia's season has been majorly disrupted by continuous injury problems.

The Belgian has made just 14 first-team appearances in all competitions. Thankfully, he is fit once again and fingers crossed he can stay that way for the remainder of the season.

Jake Stokes

Reece James - WinnerJames has been superb for Chelsea this season. The 26-year-old defender has been one of the few players in the Premier League, let alone the Blues squad, to perform at an incredibly high level week in, week out.There aren't many players who have the ability to grab a game by the scruff of the neck like James. The Cobham graduate has dragged Chelsea over the line on numerous occasions, and his role – on and off the pitch – cannot be understated.Joao Pedro - WinnerJoao Pedro has been a breath of fresh air. The 24-year-old striker has been everything that Chelsea could have wished for; even when he's not scoring goals or teeing up teammates, he's leading by example, wrestling defenders and stretching backlines.Enzo Fernandez - WinnerFernandez deserves his flowers. I could have very easily picked Moises Caicedo too, but the 25-year-old midfielder's contributions in the final third cannot be overlooked.Scoring 12 goals and providing eight assists across all competitions, his steady output has bailed Chelsea out on a few occasions. Fernandez leads well and holds his teammates to high standards.I'd like to give an honourable mention to Estevao Willian, who's always impressed when called upon, but, through no fault of his own, whether it's due to injury, managerial decision or a teammate mistake, he's not played as much as I would've liked so far this season.Tosin Adarabioyo - LoserThe downward trajectory of Chelsea's season can be traced back to Tosin's couple of grave mistakes during the defeat to Leeds United at Elland Road at the start of December. Although he's not entirely to blame for the implosion that followed, of course, he's generally offered very little this term.Ultimately, Tosin was mis-profiled by the higher-ups at Stamford Bridge, and he's been hung out to dry. It also doesn't help that he's regarded as the 'experienced' player in a young Chelsea squad.Experience does not equal quality. Experience is gained by playing at the very highest level of the game. Yes, Tosin is a seasoned professional. He does not, however, meet the quota of an 'experienced' player for a club like the Blues that should be competing on all fronts in the biggest competitions.Pedro Neto - Loser Neto had a brilliant end to last season, playing a key role in helping his club and country win some silverware. The 26-year-old winger looked set to take his game to the next level, but he's been pretty disappointing this term.Liam Delap - LoserI had high hopes for Delap when Chelsea signed him from Ipswich Town. The 23-year-old striker did well at the Club World Cup and showed great promise, albeit briefly, in pre-season before suffering a nasty hamstring injury.You can forgive his form over the festive period, having sustained a muscle problem that could’ve very easily been aggravated. But in recent months, Delap just hasn’t been good enough. A couple of goals off the bench wouldn’t go amiss in the end-of-season run-in!