CHELSEA have channelled their inner Johnny Rotten after releasing a daring new black third kit inspired by 1970s punk rock.
But fans mostly love the shirt but noticed the oddly shaped Nike tick, after the Blues thrashed Wolves 6-2 in the Premier League on Sunday.
The anthracite grey and black shirt and shorts are complemented by illuminous pink and yellow trim.
There is also a particular nod to the women’s game, with an upturned vertical Nike swoosh intended as a symbol celebrating its progress.
The jersey also includes a fabric with ripped-up, clashing punk patterns, but the Stamford Bridge club have not confirmed a sponsor yet.
Other changes see the Chelsea lion emblem coming in to replace the club’s traditional badge.
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New women’s signing Lucy Bronze, who also wore a punk scarf, featured alongside Moises Caicedo and Chelsea flop Mykhailo Mudryk for the promo pictures.
Chelsea have said the kit is based on the ‘punk rock explosion’ that was born in Chelsea five decades ago.
A club statement said: “Born in Chelsea, punk was all about youth, trailblazing energy and standing out – being not like anybody else. It’s part of who we are.”
The West London outfit first introduced a black shirt as their away shirt in 2002/03 and have regularly featured the colour in kits ever since.
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It was debuted by Chelsea Women in a pre-season fixture with Arsenal in the United States on Sunday.
Fans both love and hate the shirt, with one saying: “The Nike tick is drunk.”
A second wrote: “What the hell happened to that Nike logo?”
Before another added: “Were Nike drunk when they made this Chelsea 3rd kit? Just can’t fathom why the tick is vertical?”
But another X user declared: “Damn Nike cooked.”
A fifth replied: “This unbelievable. I like it more than our other kits this year.”
Fans were enraged with the new home shirt when it was released in June.
The new home jersey takes the blue base, but features various swirls of lighter colours to replicate the effects of a paintbrush or oil spill.
Chelsea ratings vs Wolves: Madueke and Palmer on fire as Blues run riot… but Mudryk has shocker
NONI MADUEKE bagged himself a second-half hat-trick courtesy of Cole Palmer as Chelsea fired to a 6-2 victory away at Wolves.
Palmer’s three assists and first half strike capped off a wonderful afternoon for the England ace and a game that at times resembled a basketball match.
Here’s how SunSports’ Katherine Walsh rated the Blues stars…
Robert Sanchez – 7/10
Solid display. Held firm and kept Wolves at bay in the first half.
Brilliant long ball distribution cross-pitch to Jackson who assisted Palmer’s goal and Chelsea’s second.
Malo Gusto – 5
Out of position for Matheus Cunha’s 26th minute equaliser and didn’t get forward enough.
Failed to have an influence on the game after a quieter second 45 minutes from Wolves.
Wesley Fofana – 6
Had his back to goal for Wolves’ second equaliser before half-time.
The ball had been guided in by a free-kick and Jorgen Strand-Larsen cleverly guided it home with his right foot.
Levi Colwill – 6
Not a particularly noticeable performance from the 21-year-old in a positive or negative sense.
Suppose it was a solid showing but was also caught ball watching for Cunha’s goal.
Pulled Cucurella away from the third brawl of the match.
Marc Cucurella – 6
Worked hard and found himself centre of multiple fights with Wolves players throughout the 90.
Solid as ever, needing to be alert with Wolves lethal in the first half.
Moises Caicedo – 6
Quiet afternoon for the midfielder. Didn’t do much right or wrong.
Enzo Fernandez – 7
Often in the right place at the right time after clearing two Wolves’ attempts from inside the box.
Battled to win the ball for Madueke’s third goal and frequently recovered possession for the visitors.
Cole Palmer – 9
A brilliant goal and THREE assists finished off a sensational performance from the No10 position.
Somehow managed to outshine hat-trick scorer Madueke after providing all of his goals. His own notch came against the run of play just after receiving a yellow.
Picked up the ball 20 yards from goal after a long Sanchez kick and lobbed Wolves keeper Jose Sa just when the visitors were hanging on.
Mykhailo Mudryk – 4
Enzo Marseca said he needed time and coaching to get his Chelsea career on track. But failed to make an impact against Wolves.
Didn’t notice him being shipped off at half-time for former Wolves star Pedro Neto.
Noni Madueke – 9
The star man scored THREE in the second half after bagging against Servette on Thursday.
Chelsea’s best player in the first half. The young winger has bundles of ability and energy.
Looked lively and won several free-kicks in promising positions.
Worth a note that he silenced the home fans who were heavily booing him throughout after his social media comments earlier today.
Nicolas Jackson – 8
Opened the scoring with a post header inside two minutes.
But let himself down with silly antics while arguing with Cunha twice.
Most non-penalty goals for Chelsea in the Premier League since the start of last season: 15.
And assisted Palmer’s brilliant goal and Chelsea’s second.
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Pedro Neto 7
Put a shift in after coming on at half-time on his first return to the Molineux.
Bagged himself an assist in the 80th minute.
Joao Felix – 7
Scored on his Chelsea 2023/24 debut after joining from Atletico Madrid for £42.6m.
Combined with other new signing Neto for the goal.
Christopher Nkunku – N/A
Renato Veiga – N/A
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall – N/A
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
