Soccer

Nkunku set for Chelsea debut months after knee surgery

Christopher Nkunku can be obtainable to make his Chelsea debut on Saturday, greater than 4 months after a knee damage throughout a preseason sport.

The 26-year-old France ahead joined Chelsea this summer season from Leipzig, the place he scored 58 objectives over the earlier two seasons, for a reported switch payment of $66 million.

Chelsea will attempt to halt a two-game shedding streak on Saturday when last-placed Sheffield United visits Stamford Bridge.

“He can be involved,” supervisor Mauricio Pochettino stated on Friday. “That is very good news because being involved tomorrow and being in the squad, he can start also to feel the competition, and to feel the Premier League, and be with his teammates . . . is very good for us.”

Nkunku had surgery after hurting his knee in early August throughout Chelsea’s preseason match in opposition to Borussia Dortmund at Soldier Field in Chicago.

“We need now to be calm and quiet because we don’t want to put all the pressure on him,” Pochettino stated. “Now he needs to evolve, know the Premier League, know the competition. It’s a big motivation also for us, for his teammates and for our fans to see a player that should be important for us to be in the squad for the first time this season.”

The west London membership has tumbled to twelfth place after successful simply one among its final 5 video games.

Right again and captain Reece James can be out for an prolonged interval after injuring his hamstring in Sunday’s 2-0 loss at Everton. It’s the most recent damage setback for the England worldwide.

“For him, it is difficult to accept. He feels very disappointed, very frustrated. Now we need to be careful in the way that we are going to talk, but also assess and try to find the best solution for him.”

Starting goalkeeper Robert Sanchez was additionally injured within the Everton sport and is probably going out for a number of weeks. Djordje Petrovic got here on for the Spaniard at Goodison Park.

“It’s a moment for him to step up,” Pochettino stated of Petrovic, who joined Chelsea this summer season from Major League Soccer membership New England Revolution. “We have confidence in him.”

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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