Journalist Nizaar Kinsella has claimed that Chelsea forward Christopher Nkunku is still not close to a return to the pitch.
He told the ‘London is Blue’ podcast that the Frenchman is yet to train on grass, which is a sign that a comeback is still some way away.
Nkunku is yet to feature for Chelsea in a competitive game yet after suffering a knee injury during the final pre-season game in the United States.
The France international had been really impressive during those games, with the Blues going unbeaten on the tour.
He was brought in as the marquee addition to the attack this summer, with a £52m deal being agreed way in advance of the transfer window opening.
A player he looked as if he was forming a strong connection with was Nicolas Jackson, however they have been unable to feature together as of yet.
It can be argued the 25-year-old not being present has impacted the striker’s game, with him certainly not looking as impressive as he did in pre-season.
Nkunku return not close
Kinsella has now claimed that the Senegal international will have a little while more to wait, as well as the rest of the squad before Nkunku is back in action.
He said: “Christopher Nkunku isn’t on grass yet. He’s still doing gym work which is a sign that his return is not imminent.”
Mauricio Pochettino put a lot of faith in the Frenchman being a star for him this season. It has been claimed this is why he was not keen on signing Joao Felix permanently.
In his absence, he has looked to get the best out of the players he has present, with Cole Palmer and Conor Gallagher impressing in a unique hybrid of his role last time out against Arsenal.
Receive a digest of our best Chelsea content each week direct to your mailbox
