Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has affirmed that Christopher Nkunku has a place in the squad despite uncertainty about his future, Afrosport reports.
The French forward of Congolese heritage has been limited to just three starts in the Premier League this season, with 20 appearances coming off the bench.
The bulk of his action has come in the UEFA Conference League where he has scored five goals and provided three assists in five starts.
Nkunku was linked with a move to Manchester United during the January transfer window in a reported swap deal with Alejandro Garnacho. The move however did not materialise.
With the transfer window now shut, Maresca stated that the club’s intention was to always keep the former RB Leipzig man.
“Yes, for sure. I spoke already about Christo. Against West Ham, he played more or less half an hour and hopefully from now on, he can get more minutes and help us,” Maresca said ahead of Chelsea’s FA Cup third tie with Brighton & Hove Albion.
“Absolutely. I was with the club. Altogether, we were sure before the window closed that Christo was one of the players that we intended to keep.”
#EmiratesFACup preparation. 💪 pic.twitter.com/AFACHzAlhe
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) February 6, 2025
Overall, Nkunku has scored 13 goals and provided four assists in 30 competitive appearances this season.
