Enzo Maresca Unveils Plans for Christopher Nkunku As Chelsea Prepare New System

Enzo Maresca Unveils Plans for Christopher Nkunku As Chelsea Prepare New System

  • Enzo Maresca was recently appointed manager of Premier League outfit, Chelsea, following Mauricio Pochettino's departure
  • The former Leicester City manager appears poised to deploy a new formation with Chelsea ahead of the upcoming season
  • The Italian gaffer has outlined his new plan for Christopher Nkunku as the London club commences their pre-season tour

Enzo Maresca's stint as Chelsea's coach is barely weeks old; however, the Italian manager appears to be adapting to life in an unprecedented manner.

The former Leicester City manager, who was handed the reins in the aftermath of Mauricio Pochettino's departure, seems to have a flurry of plans up his sleeves to ensure his side achieves even better success than in previous seasons.

Christopher Nkunku's balloon celebration in Chelsea attire.
Christopher Nkunku celebrates scoring with a balloon during the Premier League match between Brighton and Chelsea FC at American Express Community Stadium on May 15, 2024. Image: Ryan Pierse.
Source: Getty Images

One of these plans appears to centre around the effective deployment of Christopher Nkunku.

The 26-year-old, who joined the Premier League outfit in the summer of 2023 for a fee in the region of £52 million, had to wait until December to make his debut for the London club.

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According to data courtesy of Fotmob, the French forward managed only 14 appearances for Chelsea in his maiden campaign.

However, Coach Maresca appears to have devised a special plan for the mercurial forward.

Maresca unveils plans for Nkunku

As reported by Metro Sports, the new Chelsea coach disclosed he has already devised a plan to maximise the forward's potential for the upcoming season.

"He can play anywhere; he can play everywhere," he said. "In these two weeks of pre-season, he has been performing exceptionally well. He is already adapting to the style of play we want, which is crucial."
The coach continued, "Players like him can be wingers, attacking midfielders, or even play as a No. 9. We aim to have players who can excel in various positions. That's how I envision football and how I like to work every day—to help players not only excel in one position but to be versatile."

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Nkunku, who showed glimpses of brilliance during his debut season with Chelsea, is set to play a central role in the team's setup. His versatility could be crucial for Coach Maresca, who appears ready to build his team around the former RB Leipzig star.

Nkunku speaks on Maresca's impact

Earlier, LEGIT.ng reported that Nkunku was full of praise for the new Chelsea manager Maresca and was optimistic about their chances of achieving success together this season.

The Italian coach, renowned for his successful stint at Leicester City where he won the English Championship, takes over following Mauricio Pochettino's departure.

Source: TUKO.co.ke

Authors:
Chukwu Ikechukwu avatar

Chukwu Ikechukwu (Sports Editor) Chukwu Ikechukwu Godwin is a seasoned sports journalist with over a decade of experience across radio, TV, and online media. His career has seen him contribute his expertise to prominent media outlets such as Today FM, Wish FM, Silverbird Communications, and Sports Brief. Chukwu earned his Bachelor's degree in Agriculture from the University of Port Harcourt in 2016. Email: Chukwu.ikechukwu@corp.legit.ng