Chelsea striker Christopher Nkunku could look to leave the club if he cannot become a regular starter under Enzo Maresca, according to a new report.
Nkunku has scored 10 goals in all competitions for Chelsea this season, making the most of the opportunities presented to him in the Carabao Cup and the Conference League. But the 26-year-old is struggling Premier League minutes as he has been unable to dislodge Nicolas Jackson, who has formed an impressive partnership with the ever-improving Cole Palmer.
Just 151 minutes of Premier League football have been awarded to Nkunku, whose only start came on the opening day of the season against Manchester City. In that game, the Frenchman lasted just 57 minutes before being substituted.
Nkunku signed for Chelsea for £52m in July 2023, signing a six-year deal at Stamford Bridge and Sky Sports Germany report that while there is no immediate issue with his minutes, he could be increasingly agitated next summer.
The former RB Leipzig and Paris Saint-Germain striker is said to be “highly motivated”, suggesting he is not willing to play a minor role under Maresca, who took over again Chelsea head coach in the summer.
During his time in Germany, Nkunku scored 47 Bundesliga goals for RB Leipzig, with 36 of them in his last two seasons at the club.
Nkunku also scored 11 Champions League and Europa League goals as Leipzig reached the last four of the latter competition after being knocked out of the top flight in the group stage.
At Chelseahe faces stiff competition for spots from not only Jackson and Palmer, but also a fluid forward line capable of playing multiple positions. Nkunku himself has shone at full-back in the past, but with Noni Madueke, Pedro Neto, Jadon Sancho and Mykhailo Mudryk also competing for those spots, playing as a centre-forward has been the only route to action on the pitch.
The Blues are doing well under Maresca, who are inside the Premier League’s top four after a sustained run of positive results.
