Christopher Nkunku’s voice carries an air of regret. It wasn’t meant to go like this. He arrived from RB Leipzig last summer to much fanfare, and promptly looked our most exciting player in pre-season.
In our final friendly, on an imperfect surface in Chicago, he sustained what turned out to be a serious knee injury. It put an abrupt end to that positive momentum he had been building.
Nkunku returned before Christmas, but only briefly. A hip issue sidelined him once more, and then a hamstring problem put paid to any involvement in March and April. By the time the 2023/24 campaign drew to a close, Nkunku had played barely 500 minutes of football in a Chelsea shirt.
‘To be honest, I don’t have the feeling I had a first season here,’ admits Nkunku. ‘It was very difficult. I played just a little bit. Some minutes here, some minutes there. I was very frustrated all the season.
‘Last year I didn’t have one moment in the season where I can say I felt good. After my knee injury, I didn’t feel like I now do. I had my knee, then my hip, then a muscle injury in a row. It never stopped. That’s why I was very frustrated.
‘The most important thing now is to be ready to work and to be happy in myself,’ he adds. ‘I wasn’t happy for one year, so the most important thing is to be happy. You cannot share moments with fans if you are not happy.’
Nkunku’s first two Chelsea goals, at Wolves and Liverpool, proved little more than consolations, and they were celebrated as such.
But his third goal, which came in the penultimate game of the season against Brighton, gave Blues supporters the chance to see his iconic balloon celebration for the first time.
Despite the revelry in front of the away end on that sunny Sussex evening, Nkunku says it was a ‘symbolic thing to do’ rather than an act triggered by joy. ‘I saw a lot of fans wanted me to do this celebration,’ he acknowledges, ‘but I didn’t feel happy because of how bad my season had been.’
His prolonged spells in the treatment room made it harder to acclimatise to his new teammates, too. ‘It’s easier to be included when you’re playing and training with the guys,’ notes Nkunku, who has been doing just that since returning from a much-needed break with his family over the summer.
The 26-year-old has spent more time on the pitch than any other Chelsea player in pre-season, featuring for over 80 minutes in four of our six friendlies. It is a sign not only of Nkunku’s good health, but also of his importance to Enzo Maresca.
The new head coach declared his admiration for the Frenchman’s ability during our US Tour, stating he was capable of playing on either wing, as a nine, or in ‘the pocket’ between attack and midfield.
‘In my position, you need to have good timing,’ says Nkunku. ‘Where I need to touch the ball is where I like to touch the ball, it’s why I’m enjoying this system. It’s to be with the team, to participate in the game, and in the build-up. This is what the coach wants.
‘I lost this feeling, and I wasn’t happy with that. Now I feel better. I need to be happy, to be confident in my body, and to play some games.
‘When a player misses one season, he is very hungry. I am very hungry, but I am focused on not losing my mind and going step by step.’
He concludes: ‘My goal this season is to play and to be confident. I know if I am happy and confident in my body, I can show what I am able to do. I have no doubt about this.’
Christopher Nkunku is ready to start afresh. The Premier League has been warned.
