Chelsea: An in-depth analysis on Christopher Nkunku

How will Christopher Nkunku fit into the Chelsea starting XI?

CN is best deployed as a second striker, feeding off from the No.9. He can also hold his own as the lone striker, but we need to see the best from the 25-year-old; we must not forget he is also a provider and will not be our only goal outlet. Chelsea would need to sign a top striker like Victor Osimhen or Dusan Vlahovic.

The versatility which aallows Nkunku o play several positions will give his new manager many tactical options. He could play wide, in the middle behind a number nine (which seems most likely), or lead the line by himself. The Blues are confident in his ability to fill that role once he joins the team.

His best position is just behind the striker in a 4-2-3-1, or a 4-2-2-2 formation that the Frenchman is used to during his time in Germany. Former Chelsea gaffer, Thomas Tuchel, had the blues playing in this system for a short spell that saw mixed results, but it’s one we’ll see the best out of CK.

While Romelu Lukaku, who cost the Blues £97.5 million, will return from his season-long loan stint at Inter Milan, the club must decide on his future. Pochettino has stated that he’s willing to work with the Belgian, and talks over his position will resume soon as Inter fell to the hands of Manchester City, giving City their first UCL title. Lukaku made the headlines for his horror cameo showing, costing his side big time.

I don’t see Lukaku as our No.9 going forward, as he’s not keen to return to the English capital. Serie A forwards Victor Osimhen of Napoli and Dusan Vlahovic of Juventus are names floating about and are my candidates to replace RL9. Nkunku’s playmaking skills benefiting the new No.9 and the Frenchman’s ability to score very often is something Chelsea fans can be optimistic about after a disgraceful 2022-23 season.