Football Digest: Nkunku's Chelsea arrival poses question over tactics
Chelsea head coach Mauricio Pochettino is eagerly awaiting the return of Christopher Nkunku after suggesting the club might be ‘eight or 10 goals’ better off if he had been available. The £60million signing is still waiting to make his official debut after sustaining a knee injury days before the start of the Premier League campaign. But the prospect of Nkunku’s imminent return is already something his manager is ‘looking forward’ to after spending months on the sidelines.
Nkunku underwent surgery on his knee in August to ensure the issue doesn’t resurface in the future, forcing him to miss their season opener against Liverpool and the first half of the season. Recently, however, the forward has been spotted training hard in the gym and building up strength in his knee as he plots his return to fitness, as well as cheering on his team-mates from home.
And in the build-up to their west London derby with Brentford on Saturday, Pochettino mentioned Nkunku will be back in action after the next international break in mid-November.
“He is doing well, I think he is close, I hope he can be involved soon,” Pochettino told reporters in a press conference on Friday. “Maybe after next international break he will be involved. [I am] not sure.”
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That would put Nkunku ahead of schedule in terms of rehabilitation process, with the initial prognosis estimating he would be out until late December or even the New Year. His rapid recovery will come as a welcome boost to Chelsea, who have struggled at certain points this season to put their chances away.
Nkunku’s record in the Bundesliga – 42 goals in 88 games for RB Leipzig – would suggest he would have no trouble in doing so. The France international also bagged four goals in pre-season, showing an unteachable instinct of being in the right place at the right time in the penalty area and also a devastating potential link-up with Nicolas Jackson.
With that in mind, it is no wonder Pochettino is so desperate for the 25-year-old to return from injury.
“I think when you see the goals from last season, he is a player that can provide goals and we are missing goals. It’s a player that can be important for us. Today, with maybe eight to 10 goals from Nkunku, the situation is different.
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“[We have been] unlucky but we also cannot complain. Things can happen. I am looking forward to [watching] him recover.”
It may also play some part in changing Pochettino’s plans come January. Jackson’s struggle for goals and injuries to Nkunku and Armando Broja forced the Argentine to consider targets in the January transfer window, with Ivan Toney and Victor Osimhen both heavily linked with the club over the past month.
Pochettino has indicated he could change his mind after watching his side go on a four-game unbeaten run, although he did not rule out splashing out on expensive deals again in January.
When asked about possible new signings, Pochettino kept his cards close to his chest and replied: “Football is dynamic, maybe today we are thinking differently than two or three weeks ago. But we are ready, the sporting directors are ready.”
Given the way he has been speaking about Nkunku and the fact he is yet to play competitively for Chelsea, few could be forgiven for thinking Nkunku will be like a new signing in December when he finally makes his debut.
And that might just be enough to convince Pochettino not to dip into the market if he gets off the mark quickly at Stamford Bridge.
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