Enzo Maresca has confirmed Christopher Nkunku will be back in the squad to face Everton tomorrow after picking academy graduate Tyrique George ahead of him to face Fulham last weekend.
Maresca explained immediately after the 2-1 win at Craven Cottage that Nkunku had been dropped because of a “technical decision”. He went into further detail on his reasoning during his pre-match press conference today, clarifying it was not because the France international was poor in training or doing anything untoward but simply due to preferring George.
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Chelsea paid RB Leipzig more than €60million (now £51.1m; $68.1m) to sign Nkunku in 2023, but he has scored just 17 goals since and is one of the players in line to be sold in the summer.
George, 19, has scored two goals in his last three appearances and Maresca suggested he has moved ahead of Nkunku in the pecking order.
When asked if Nkunku would feature against Everton, Maresca said at a news conference on Friday: “He is in the squad and he has been good (in training). Last week, when he was out, it was because we needed to decide one, two players to leave out and also to give some of the younger players like Ty the chance to continue with us so it was just that.
“Probably in this moment, if he (Nkunku) is in the squad one offensive player has to be out in the Fulham game and that probably would have been Tyrique. But we decided to use Ty and now Malo (Gusto) is out (injured) so we can bring another one and Christo will be with us.
“Since day one, I just tried to do my best for the club. Any decision I make is for the best for the club. I know Christophe cost a lot of money and Ty is from the academy, but sometimes I am here to take these kind of decisions that probably from the outside is difficult to see but inside when you see them working every day, you have to take the decision.”
Meanwhile, Maresca insists the season will not be a failure if Chelsea fail to finish in the top five and qualify for the Champions League. Chelsea take on Everton sitting in sixth place, two points behind Newcastle United.
Maresca added: “Compared to the last two years it has not been a failure. How many times have Chelsea been in the Champions League (positions) the past two years? Zero. How many times (have Chelsea been in the position) this season? Almost all season. It is already an improvement because we spent all season there.
“Compared to the last two seasons, there is an improvement no doubt. If you want to see it, you see it, if you don’t want to see it, you don’t see it. It depends which way but I see that.”
(Photo: Benjamin Cremel/AFP via Getty Images)
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