Nkunku is edging closer to return following his injury in pre-season. He was an unused substitute during the Premier League win over Sheffield United at the weekend.
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Chelsea were a busy side in the last summer transfer window by signing multiple players in various fronts. They had invested a huge amount of cash in the window yet again by making multiple additions to their squad. It is a recurring theme for the Blues in recent windows. However, not all signings have gone on to make a name for themselves due to various reasons. One of the reasons is injuries to some of them.
However, that could change for Chelsea, with Christopher Nkunku edging closer to return following his injury in pre-season. He was an unused substitute during the Premier League win over Sheffield United at the weekend. With the Blues set to play Newcastle United in a Carabao Cup quarter-final contest, Nkunku could make his debut in that game. However, that might not be the case for another summer recruit Romeo Lavia.
“Lavia no, he’s still not ready. Christopher was involved on Saturday and is going to be involved again. Today he trained well, so maybe he has the possibility to be involved in some minutes of the game. The reality is he wasn’t for me a player to be involved after it went 2-0 against Sheffield United. I saw today he was much better than the day before we played against Sheffield United, so maybe it increases the possibility he will be involved,” Mauricio Pochettino, quoted on the club’s website, said ahead of the game.
He added: “How I saw him today, maybe he can play 20 minutes. How I saw him before the game against Sheffield United, in my mind, there was one per cent or two per cent of doubt, that is why I didn’t want to take a risk with him, I need to be 100 per cent. I think it was good for him to be involved with the team, doing the warm-up, that was amazing, but why take a risk when the game was 2-0?”
The Chelsea manager then went on to discuss in length where Nkunku might fit into the Starting XI. “Now we have Jackson and Broja is fully recovered. I think Nkunku can play as a No9, but he can play as a No10, No7 or a No11, different positions. Also, there was a question mark about where Nkunku would start the season because it’s about what the combinations were going to be,” he explained.
He further added: “During pre-season we were using him in different positions and that was the moment we could assess and analyse. After four or five months out, the combinations are completely different to pre-season because the team evolved and the situation has changed. Now it’s about helping him recover his feeling 100 per cent, and then it’s how he can help the team and see in which position and find the different dynamics for him to fit and be decisive. That is what everyone expects.”
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