CHRISTOPHER Nkunku insists he is “feeling better” as he aims to build on the glimpses of promise he showed last season and consign his injury problems to the past.
A lot was expected of Nkunku when the forward joined Chelsea from RB Leipzig for £52million last summer, but he could only manage fourteen appearances in a frustrating campaign.
Just two of them were starts, both in the Premier League. But despite his lack of action he still showed what he could be capable of with three league goals. It doesn’t sound like much but it is one every 146 minutes.
Nkunku, 26, has had the benefit of an uninterrupted pre-season to build his fitness and work on his sharpness. He is currently with the squad on their United States tour. Blues supporters first saw his talent and ability in the US last summer when he scored three goals.
“I am feeling better after the difficult season last year. I am feeling better,” Nkunku said.
“I had a nice break during the summer. I needed it. I worked a little bit before coming here, but it was important for me to break after this year, for my head also. It was good.
‘Now I am working in every training session to stay fit and to go forward in a good way. Pre-season is very good and the team is good. We are practising the hard work to be fresh and ready to play some friendly games.”
Nkunku was signed by Mauricio Pochettino but the Argentine head coach lasted only a season before a parting of the ways this summer.
Chelsea moved early in the managerial market – with several clubs on the lookout for new bosses as well as speculation over the futures of others – as they secured Enzo Maresca from Leicester City, paying £10million in compensation to the Foxes.
Pochettino led Chelsea to the EFL Cup final and FA Cup semi-finals when they were unlucky to lose both. The Blues lost only one of their last fifteen Premier League games, winning their last five to finish sixth and qualify for the Conference League play-off round.
Maresca is under no illusions he has to win something this season, after guiding Leicester to the Championship title in his first full campaign as a senior head coach.
Nkunku has been impressed with what he has seen from the Italian so far.
He said: “The new head coach brings very good ideas to play. We are all happy to practise every training with him. Now it is just the beginning. We need to learn and to fix in every training the way he wants us to play.
“We are on this way to learn. If everybody has the idea of the coach to play, we will produce good football this year.”
Nkunku explained what a large part of the focus has been on. He said: “We are playing with the ball already a lot. As he told us the first day, he wants us to be on the pitch to practise football training directly. His idea is to keep the ball, so we are practising that now.”
Chelsea have a daunting start to the season as they face champions Manchester City at Stamford Bridge on the opening weekend.
“It’s the time for us to know each other more, to be every day together, to train together, to spend some time together,” Nkunku said.
“It’s also important to have some friendly games, to have more minutes in the body to be fresh for the start of the season, and to see our fans. I am looking forward to it.”
Meanwhile, Chelsea have signed United States international defender Caleb Wiley from MLS side Atlanta United.
Wiley, 19, has signed a six-year contract with the option of a further year.
Left-back Wiley made his debut for Atlanta in 2022 and racked up 83 appearances, scoring six goals.
Wiley made his international debut in 2023 and has two caps. He is currently with the Olympic side in Paris.
