Nkunku was signed by Chelsea in June from RB Leipzig for £52mThe 26-year-old Frenchman has not made a competitive appearance since sustaining a knee injury in pre-seasonMauricio Pochettino named Nkunku on the bench against Sheff Utd on Saturday but didn’t bring him on
Christopher Nkunku was left on the bench for Chelsea against Sheffield United / Adam Hunger/GettyImagesJust over a year has passed since Christopher Nkunku’s unofficial transfer to Chelsea, and the Frenchman was named in his first Premier League matchday squad.
In June, the Blues officially approved the £52 million transfer of Nkunku from RB Leipzig to west London; but, the 26-year-old has not been able to play for Chelsea since suffering a catastrophic knee injury in their final preseason game.
Still, there was a buzz of excitement among the supporters who flocked to Stamford Bridge on Saturday afternoon. Nkunku’s inclusion in the Sheffield United substitute lineup had been confirmed.
Mauricio Pochettino had the opportunity to add some excitement to the home team’s dull 2-0 victory by giving Nkunku his first-ever minutes of play, but the Frenchman was benched.
Here’s why Pochettino decided against using a forward that he has been itching to use the all season.
Why didn’t Christopher Nkunku make his Chelsea debut against Sheffield United?
Mauricio Pochettino resisted the temptation to call upon Christopher Nkunku / Crystal Pix/MB Media/GettyImagesNkunku is hardly the only absentee on Chelsea’s lengthy injury list but Pochettino rarely goes through a press conference without being quizzed on the status of last season’s Bundesliga top scorer.
The Frenchman’s return has been “close” for months but finally seemed to be imminent this weekend. Ahead of the visit from Sheffield United, Pochettino revealed Nkunku would be included in the squad. However, the Chelsea boss also warned: “It’s very good news for us and it’s time to be calm and quiet because we don’t want to put the pressure on him.”
After the match, Pochettino explained why he left arguably Chelsea’s only clinical finisher on the bench. “We didn’t want to take a risk with him and give him more time for his recovery,” the Argentine revealed.
Nkunku damaged the meniscus in his left knee and underwent surgery in August. After six months since his last competitive appearance – a five-minute cameo for France in Euro 2024 qualifying – no wonder Chelsea are being cautious.
When could Christopher Nkunku make his Chelsea debut?
Christopher Nkunku shone for Chelsea in pre-season / Matthew Ashton – AMA/GettyImages
Even though the schedule is crazy, it guarantees that Nkunku won’t have to wait long for another opportunity to make his much awaited debut.
Tuesday night, Chelsea and Newcastle United will play a Carabao Cup quarterfinal at Stamford Bridge. In previous roles, Pochettino has participated in a lot of cup tournaments, but now that Chelsea is not in Europe and is already eliminated from the Premier League title fight, the League Cup has much more significance.
Pochettino may decide to postpone Nkunku’s debut for the unwelcome trip to Wolverhampton Wanderers on Christmas Eve if he decides against starting the Frenchman against a Newcastle team who destroyed Chelsea 4-1 last month.
The Chelsea Supporters’ Trust denounced the schedule as “intolerable,” and Pochettino concurred, sulking when the schedule was revealed. The first-ever sight of Nkunku line in blue, meanwhile, might make the awkward timing a bit more bearable.