Christopher Nkunku could be sidelined for months thanks to a knee injury
According to Football.London, Chelsea forward Christopher Nkunku could be out for a few months due to a knee injury that he picked up in a pre-season game against Borussia Dortmund.
However, earlier it was reported that the former RB Leipzig player would only be sidelined for weeks, but now the Blues could fear losing him for months. This is bad news for a side that has failed to reinforce the roster adequately so far this window.
The 25-year-old earlier picked up a knee injury during their 2022 World Cup training for France, which saw him miss out on plenty of months of the 2022-23 campaign. While he returned to action with a bang, another long term injury is not good news.
The players have shown promise during their pre-season, and the future is yet to be made of the youngsters, as Mauricio Pochettino will hope to start a strong X1 against the Reds. Nkunku, who can either play on the left wing or at centre forward was expected to be a key cog in our new look frontline. His unavailability might now see Mauricio Pochettino start Mykhaylo Mudryk or Raheem Sterling on the left flank.
It’s likely that Sterling could be in the starting eleven due to his more Premier League experience, while Mudryk may come in as a substitute. Chelsea have only until Sunday to prepare for their opening game of the 2023–24 season when they will welcome Liverpool to Stamford Bridge.
If the speculations are accurate, it will be extremely concerning since we will need the France international because he can have a big influence from the wings and in the No. 9 position. Our season began last season with numerous player injuries, forcing the team to make a tonne of additions.
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Even though we have backups, Nkunku’s absence will be felt because he has the ability to have a noticeable effect on games. Fortunately, we are hopeful that this is only a minor injury and not a chronic condition that could keep him out of action for months. This is because, just recently, he made a full recovery from a long-term injury.