French striker Christopher Nkunku is nearing his return to full training for Chelsea, and when he is cleared to play again, he is going to feel like a new signing for Blues boss Mauricio Pochettino. It will be a boost to the attacking options in his team.
Chelsea summer signing Christopher Nkunku underwent knee surgery today and is likely to miss nearly four months, per @Matt_Law_DT
Damn ? pic.twitter.com/PlSzRPYizF
— B/R Football (@brfootball) August 8, 2023
Nkunku was signed from RB Leipzig for a fee thought to be in the region of £52 million. Unfortunately for the striker and the club, he was injured in pre-season, which means he has not been able to make his competitive debut yet.
Chelsea Could Have One of the Hottest Attacks in Europe
Although Chelsea are not where they want to be in the Premier League standings, goals have not been a problem. They showed that when they hit four past Manchester City, who are the 2/1 favourites in the odds for Champions League this season.
The Champions League winner odds also include Arsenal at the top end of the market, at 8/1. The Gunners have scored 27 goals in their opening 13 Premier League matches this season, just five more than Chelsea. With Nkunku set to add the Blues’ attack, Pochettino’s side could overpass their London rivals in the goalscoring charts before the campaign is over.
Elsewhere in Europe, Bayern Munich have benefited from signing a centre forward, as Harry Kane has been in excellent form since coming from Tottenham. The England captain, who was linked to a move to Stamford Bridge, has scored 22 goals in his opening 17 games for the German giants.
Nkunku Can Play in Several Positions
Although he has shone in the number nine role over the last few years in Europe, Nkunku is a player who can feature in several positions. He is comfortable playing behind the striker as an attacking midfielder, and if asked, he could also play out wide.
Nkunku will add to Chelsea’s dead-ball options. He scored two goals from free-kicks last season in Germany. He is also an accomplished penalty taker, so Pochettino may need to think about who his side’s first choice is from the spot kick.
With 10 caps for his country France, Nkunku has a lot of experience at the highest level. He was named the Footballer of the Year in Germany in 2022 and last season he finished the campaign as the top goalscorer in the Bundesliga.
Top Four the Main Goal for Pochettino
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— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) November 12, 2023
There have been enough signs this season to suggest Chelsea have what it takes to finish in the top four. They were excellent against Tottenham in the 4-1 victory over their rivals in North London, while they showed a lot of fighting spirit to earn a draw against Manchester City in an entertaining game that featured eight goals.
Chelsea don’t have any distractions in Europe this season, so Pochettino can focus on the Premier League and the domestic cups. There will also be the opportunity for the Argentine to add to the squad in January, should he feel they are lacking in a certain area on the pitch.
If Nkunku shows the same level of form as he did in Germany last season, it could be an exciting second half of the season for the Blues and beyond.
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