Christopher Nkunku Set to Feature in Chelsea's Carabao Cup Semi-final: Report

Christopher Nkunku will reportedly become fully fit and available for selection ahead of Chelsea’s Carabao Cup semi-final tie against Middlesbrough, which is scheduled for January 10. Nkunku could not feature in the Blues’ FA Cup third-round match on Saturday due to an injury issue. After the match was over, Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino confirmed that the midfielder was ruled out of the crucial game because of a hip issue. Though Chelsea thumped Preston in the home fixture to secure a comfortable 4-0 victory, they certainly felt the absence of Nkunku in the upfront.

While fans were eagerly waiting for news about his return, journalist Santi Aouna shared an update through a post on X (formerly Twitter). According to Aouna, it was not an injury that ruled Nkunku out of the FA Cup game. The French international was given a rest as he was experiencing hip discomfort.

“A simple preventative rest in view of the important upcoming deadlines for Chelsea. He will be in the squad for the next Blues match,” Aouna wrote on the microblogging site. The post unquestionably came as a relief for the Chelsea fans as the comment section was flooded with positive remarks underlining Nkunku’s importance in the team.

Despite being an attacking midfielder, Christopher Nkunku has raised eyebrows with his goal-scoring ability on several occasions. Before joining Chelsea for £52 million in July last year, Nkunku netted a total of 35 goals across all competitions during his penultimate season with RB Leipzig.

Nkunku endured enough turbulence in his debut season for Chelsea. He sustained a horrific knee injury in the pre-season that left him sidelined until December. Nkunku finally made his maiden appearance for the London giants during a Carabao Cup fixture against Newcastle United, coming off the bench in the second half. In his four appearances with Chelsea, Nkunku has managed only one goal.

With first-team striker Nicolas Jackson out on international duties, Nkunku is expected to feature at the centre of the Chelsea attack in the next few games. Jackson is currently busy representing Senegal at the Africa Cup of Nations. If his country reaches the knockout stage of the continental tournament, Chelsea will miss the services of Jackson till the second week of February.