90min

Mauricio Pochettino drops hint over Christopher Nkunku's Chelsea position

  • Nkunku made Chelsea debut in 5-0 pre-season win against Wrexham
  • Versatile Frenchman replaced Nicolas Jackson as striker
  • Pochettino suggests this is not long-term plan

By Sean Walsh

Nkunku completed his move from RB Leipzig this summer
Nkunku completed his move from RB Leipzig this summer / Matthew Ashton - AMA/GettyImages
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Chelsea head coach Mauricio Pochettino has suggested that Christopher Nkunku's long-term role will not be as a centre forward.

The France international made his debut for the Blues in their 5-0 pre-season friendly win against Wrexham in the United States on Wednesday night.

Nkunku was brought on as a second-half substitute for Nicolas Jackson, replacing his fellow summer signing up front. He would grab Chelsea's fourth goal of the evening, bursting beyond a sleeping Wrexham backline and rounding the goalkeeper before slotting emphatically into an empty net.

Though naturally an attacking midfielder, Nkunku has showed great versatility throughout his career and is capable of playing on either flank or as a number nine.

But speaking to the press post-match, Pochettino suggested his decision to play Nkunku as a centre forward against Wrexham was simply due to a lack of other options.

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"I think for the possibility today and the different players we have available and I think it's a position we decide today," Pochettino said. "We only have Jackson and him with the possibility to play as a striker."

The Argentine added: "I am happy because of the attitude and now is time to improve. It is part of the process to plan the way we want to play and of course be in the physical condition also. I am happy with the performance and we keep going.

"The most important thing now is to get good feelings. We start again to play now after the holidays. There are players who didn't play, other players [who] came are at different levels and now it is about getting everyone at similar level to try and compete for the things this season."

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