French forward Christopher Nkunku has candidly discussed a challenging chapter in his career at Chelsea, detailing how Enzo Maresca's tactical requirements affected his standing in the squad during his second season at Stamford Bridge.
After a debut season plagued by injuries, Nkunku had a robust pre-season and was eager to be a key figure in the attack. However, the appointment of Maresca, replacing Mauricio Pochettino, disrupted these plans:
I returned strongly for my second season and had a solid pre-season, but the manager had completely different ideas. All I could do was accept that, train hard, and wait for my chance to play.
He had a structure where I could only really cover one position. But he preferred to use someone else or put me in an unfamiliar area. I had to respect his choices. I mentioned I could play in a different role, but the decisions were with the head coach; his word was final. So, you keep working for yourself and for the benefit of your teammates, trying to make the most of every opportunity you get.
Nkunku stressed that the rigid positional framework stifled his key attributes, which require creative freedom to move:
I need to be close to goal, create chances, and finish them off myself. I don’t have one fixed position; I'm a versatile attacking player. At Chelsea, it was all about the instruction: 'You must stay strictly in your position.' If you're playing on the wing, you have to stick to the touchline and go one-on-one. I can do that, but not for the entire game, as I need to switch zones and roam across the forward line.
Nkunku left the London club at the end of the 2024/25 season, having notched 18 goals and 5 assists in 62 appearances for the Blues. He later joined AC Milan but couldn't settle there and eventually returned to RB Leipzig.
