Christopher Nkunku unconcerned by Chelsea's poor form last season
- Nkunku agreed to join Chelsea shortly after the 2022 summer transfer window closed
- Chelsea endured a nightmare campaign and will play no European football next year
- Nkunku insists he has bought in to Chelsea's project
By Tom Gott
Christopher Nkunku insists he would have had no issues joining Chelsea this summer even if the Blues had been in a relegation battle last season.
Nkunku's move to Stamford Bridge was signed off shortly after the 2022 summer transfer window closed and represented a real coup for the Todd Boehly-Clearlake Capital ownership, who then watched on as Chelsea endured their worst campaign in Premier League history.
Having just finished third in the 2021/22 season, the Blues tumbled all the way to 12th last year, leading many to suggest Nkunku - the Bundesliga top scorer - would regret his decision to sign on at Stamford Bridge so early.
"Even if Chelsea was 15th or 16th place, it doesn't matter for me because I knew that the new season would not be the same as last season," Nkunku told The Times.
"The club is not in the European competition but I want to have a main role in the team. Chelsea proposed this project to me and I am happy with it.
"The season of Chelsea last year wasn't good, everybody knows this," Nkunku added. "This year is a new project, new year, new season. I am the new project and I am happy to be here."
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Chelsea have had mixed results from expensive Bundesliga imports, with Timo Werner and Kai Havertz two high-profile examples of players who have failed to show their best at Stamford Bridge, but Nkunku is not worried about falling into the same category.
"Sometimes you have personal problems, everybody is different," Nkunku offered as an explanation for the struggles of those who came before him. "I want to work in every session, every game. I know I can do a lot of great things here, that's why I sit here. We will see in the future but I am not scared about anything."
Asked whether he can finally be Chelsea's next great striker after Didier Drogba and Diego Costa, Nkunku added: "If I think like a striker or an offensive player, I will say yes.
"But in this project the main thing is about the team. We want to be up in the table, achieve the Champions League [qualification] next season. This is the main thing, and then after yeah I have some goals, but I keep that personal."
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