In an exclusive interview with the Times (subscription required), Christopher Nkunku has no regrets over signing for Chelsea and is gearing up to show what he is capable of in a blue jersey.
About five weeks ago, Chelsea announced the signature of the French international from RB Leipzig for a deal worth around £52m. The agreement of this move was done in the middle of last season itself.
Nkunku became the first addition to the senior squad this summer. It was followed by striker Nicolas Jackson a few days later. The former PSG youth player is a versatile attacker who can play virtually all the positions across the forward line.
Here’s what he said about the move to Stamford Bridge, the willingness to do well and why he has no regrets despite the team’s horror finish last season (h/t The Times):
“The season of Chelsea last year wasn’t good, everybody knows this. This year is a new project, new year, new season. I am the new project and I am happy to be here. Even if Chelsea was 15th or 16th place, it doesn’t matter for me because I knew that the new season would not be the same as last season
I want to show what I can do. This is just the beginning. I need to adapt. To come here and score directly in the first game [against Wrexham] I was very happy. The first thing in my mind is to adapt with the team and my team-mates, with the club also, and to improve every day.”
The 25-year-old is a goal-scoring attacking midfielder/forward whose game revolves around finding space between the lines, making runs in behind and creating or scoring goals.
If we look at his Leipzig numbers, the Frenchman scored 70 goals and assisted 56 in 170 appearances in all competitions in the four seasons he was there since leaving PSG in 2019. Only 15 out of the 170 appearances came as a false nine. (Transfermarkt). So, those are impressive returns and something Chelsea have lacked.
One of the many things Mauricio Pochettino has to improve in this team is adding goals. They have not signed an experienced number nine so far but Nkunku can do a lot of lifting while others have to chip in to balance the pressure. There are many possibilities with Nkunku, one of which would be pairing him up with Jackson, who has impressed in pre-season as well.
Although Nkunku (25) is a different player to Mason Mount, it does feel like Chelsea have replaced the latter with the former in the same summer. The new signing is most comfortable when operating as a number 10. He can play on either wing or as a false nine
