Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has firmly dismissed any possibility of selling Christopher Nkunku during the January transfer window.
Nkunku, who started Chelsea’s Premier League opener against Manchester City, has struggled to regain his place in the league lineup since then. However, the French forward has been a consistent presence in Chelsea’s Europa Conference League and Carabao Cup campaigns, netting 10 goals across all competitions.
Following his limited Premier League appearances, rumors surfaced earlier this month suggesting Nkunku might seek a January move. When asked about the possibility of offloading the striker, Maresca responded decisively: “Absolutely, yes.”
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The Italian coach added, “We have so many games. I completely want Christo to stay with us; I have no intention of letting him leave in January. I spoke to Christo days ago, and he did not say he was unhappy. For sure, he would like to play more minutes, but that’s the case with many players.”
Maresca’s comments came ahead of Chelsea’s Conference League match against German side Heidenheim on Thursday. While Nkunku’s role in the Premier League may be limited, he is likely to start in the Voith-Arena, as some of Chelsea’s key players have been excluded from participation in the group stages of the competition.
Players like Cole Palmer and Romeo Lavia were left out of the squad to manage their workloads, and first-team regulars such as Noni Madueke, Levi Colwill, and Malo Gusto have yet to feature in the tournament.
During the November international break, Nkunku dismissed speculation linking him with a move to Paris Saint-Germain, stating no approach had been made. While Manchester United was rumored to be interested earlier this month, recent reports have suggested a potential return to the Bundesliga with Borussia Dortmund.