Highlights
- Christopher Nkunku faces yet another injury setback.
- Mauricio Pochettino suggests he’s not the same player he once was.
- Journalist Dean Jones highlights the issue of mounting player injuries, questioning the fixture schedules.
Chelsea forward Christopher Nkunku has spent more time watching from the sidelines this season than featuring on the pitch, and journalist Dean Jones has discussed the French international’s latest ‘massive blow’ at Stamford Bridge.
Nkunku moved to west London during the summer transfer window for a fee of £52m from Bundesliga side RB Leipzig. Chelsea would have hoped that the 26-year-old would have helped solve their attacking problems ahead of the current campaign, but he’s been riddled with injuries and struggled to make an impact. Nkunku is now set for another spell on the treatment table in what is a far-from-ideal situation for Mauricio Pochettino.
Nkunku set for another spell on the treatment table
Since Nkunku has arrived in the Premier League, Chelsea supporters have barely seen one of their summer signings in action. The former Leipzig man suffered an injury during pre-season, which ruled him out until December, when he made his debut for the west London outfit. Nkunku suffered another setback in January meaning he was watching from the stands once again, and Pochettino has provided yet another disappointing update on his fitness.
Speaking before Wednesday’s FA Cup clash against Leeds United, where Chelsea ran out 3-2 winners, Pochettino confirmed that Nkunku would be unavailable and could miss up to a month…
“We need to see and evaluate every day but he’s out for three or four weeks. We hope no more. It’s difficult for him. We watched him when he arrived in pre-season. He was flying on the training pitch until he got injured. Now it is nearly eight months and he has been involved again but he is not the same player as before.”
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Christopher Nkunku – Career Stats |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Stats |
PSG |
RB Leipzig |
|
Appearances |
78 |
178 |
|
Goals |
11 |
70 |
|
Assists |
4 |
56 |
|
Yellow cards |
3 |
17 |
|
Red cards |
0 |
0 |
|
Correct as of 27/02/2024 |
||
Pochettino admitted that Nkunku isn’t the same player as he was when they signed him due to his consistent injuries, so Chelsea fans might not see the best from the French forward until next season. Nkunku will need to be managed carefully for the remainder of the campaign, and we might not see him return to action until April. The Blues are struggling in the Premier League again this term, and they could certainly do with the version of Nkunku that was regularly producing in front of goal for Leipzig in the Bundesliga.
Christopher Nkunku ‘injured’ after mystery Chelsea incident
Chelsea forward Christopher Nkunku has suffered an injury which could rule him out of the Leeds United clash.
Dean Jones – Nkunku injury another huge blow
Jones has suggested that Nkunku being out injured once again is a massive blow for Pochettino, but he believes it’s a problem that runs deep within football. The journalist adds that we should be taken aback by the sheer number of injuries suffered by players from around the world at the moment, questioning whether it’s due to hectic fixture schedules. Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Jones said…
“It’s a massive blow for Pochettino and a huge blow for Chelsea. It’s extremely frustrating, but I think it runs deeper than that. I think that in the wider game, we should really be taken aback by the number of injuries there are all the top clubs competing right now. If you look at Chelsea, if you look at Liverpool, if you look at Manchester United and how decimated their squads are a lot of the time, you have to wonder if the number of games that all of the players are being made to play is having an effect. Nkunku might not be a direct result of something like that, but there definitely is an argument that players are under more pressure than ever to get on the pitch and play longer than ever.”
Chelsea interested in signing Leeds United star
According to TEAMtalk, Chelsea are among a host of clubs who are considering a move for Leeds United winger Crysencio Summerville. Aston Villa and Liverpool are also reportedly interested, and it’s no surprise that Premier League clubs are beginning to take a look. The Dutch winger has been in impressive form for the Championship side this season, scoring 15 goals and providing eight assists.
It’s set to be a competitive race to secure his signature, but the 22-year-old appears to be destined to play in England’s top flight once again.
Statistics courtesy of FBref and Transfermarkt
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