Chelsea convinced £52m player can do 'something special' under Enzo Maresca

Those in power at Chelsea are expecting Christopher Nkunku to shine under the guidance of Enzo Maresca next season, according to reports. Nkunku joined the Blues last summer but saw his debut campaign hampered by injury, which prevented him from having the desired impact.

The Frenchman missed 39 matches across all competitions due to a string of separate injuries, with the first coming in pre-season. He required knee surgery to fix the problem and was sidelined from August to December before suffering a hip injury just weeks after making his comeback.

Nkunku went on to pick up a hamstring injury at the end of February and only returned to action at the start of May. He came off the bench in Chelsea’s last four Premier League games and got through each of them unscathed to the relief of the club’s medical staff.

With his injury problems seemingly behind him, it remains to be seen if Nkunku can become a key player for Chelsea next season. According to Fabrizio Romano, the Blues are convinced that he will do ‘something special’ under Maresca while Nkunku believes the new campaign will be ‘big’ for him.

The versatile forward is said to be ‘very happy’ at Chelsea and is determined to ‘give something back’ after spending much of last season on the treatment table. He is already working hard to get himself into the best possible shape with the aim of hitting the ground running in pre-season.

It has been rumoured that other clubs are interested in signing Nkunku this summer but there is said to be ‘no chance’ of an exit for the foreseeable future. Nkunku is believed to be a ‘key part’ of Maresca’s plans for the upcoming season and will not be allowed to leave under any circumstances.

The main priority for Nkunku will be to stay fit and steer clear of any further long-term injuries that could derail his second year at Stamford Bridge. He has already received a vote of confidence from Chelsea team-mate Cole Palmer, who believes he is destined to shine for the Blues next season.

“Everyone knows his quality, even from Leipzig, before he came here,” said Palmer in an interview with Chelsea’s official channels. “He’s been unlucky with injuries but if he can get firing and get fit, you saw what he can do out there, so I think next season everyone will see how good he actually is.”