Chelsea fans were treated to a glimpse of their new star Christopher Nkunku on Monday night, as the French forward finally made his Chelsea debut in the Carabao Cup quarter-final against Newcastle United. And he did not disappoint.
Nkunku, who joined the Blues from RB Leipzig for a whopping £52 million in August, had been sidelined with a knee injury that required surgery. He had to wait for more than four months to make his first appearance for his new club, but he made up for the lost time with a dazzling display.
Nkunku was involved in everything good that Chelsea did, showing his pace, skill, and flair. He was unlucky not to score, hitting the post twice and forcing a brilliant save from the Newcastle keeper and also showed his nerve, stepping up to take a penalty in the shootout and scoring with ease. He was substituted in the 82nd minute to a standing ovation from the Stamford Bridge crowd.
Pochettino was full of praise for Nkunku after the game, but also cautioned him not to get carried away and to keep working hard to improve. He said: “He was fantastic. He showed his quality and his personality. Nkunku has been waiting for this moment for a long time. He’s a very talented player, but he needs time to adapt to the Premier League and to our style of play. He’s not at his best yet, but he will get there soon.
“We are not going to put too much pressure on him. He’s just arrived, and he’s had a difficult start with his injury. He needs to be patient and to keep working hard. Day by day we will push him to reach his potential. He has a bright future ahead of him.”
