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Why Christopher Nkunku can star at Chelsea following his Stamford Bridge switch
Chelsea's capture of RB Leipzig's Christopher Nkunku is unquestionably a shrewd piece of business.
- NOTE: This article was originally published in October 2022
He is uniquely talented and one of the most exciting players in Europe.
With Chelsea wanting to revamp their attack after seeing the likes of Kai Havertz, Christian Pulisic and Hakim Ziyech unable to hit their straps, not to mention the failed signings of Timo Werner and Romelu Lukaku, Nkunku is an ideal candidate to do just that.
Following the announcement that Nkunku has joined the Blues in a £52million deal, this will certainly be money well spent.
Crowned the Bundesliga player of the year in 2021/22, in a campaign where he bagged a remarkable 35 goals and 20 assists in all competitions, Nkunku emphatically underlined why he's one of the most coveted players around.
Able to play in a variety of positions and roles, his versatility will give Mauricio Pochettino plenty of tactical flexibility when deciding how best to use him, for he can play as a striker, a false nine, a number 10, out wide or even as a wingback.
Having worked under the likes of Julian Nagelsmann, Jesse Marsch, Domenico Tedesco and most recently Marco Rose at Leipzig, plus with Unai Emery and Thomas Tuchel in his Paris-Saint Germain days, he joins well versed in the arts of pressing, methodical build up, counter attacking and everything in between.
So intelligent and alert to his surroundings, the French international's movement is a key aspect of his armoury, for he's a master at identifying spaces and duly exploiting them.
Such a menace when running in behind, down the channels and into the box, he instinctively knows when to peel off the back shoulder of a marker to expose them on the blindside, attack gaps between preoccupied defenders and target spaces when a defender steps out.
Being so fast, agile and with a wicked burst of acceleration adds to his worth, making him so hard to track once in full flight due to the dynamic advantage he gains over his more stationary ball facing opponents and how he gains separation prior to embarking on his runs.
It's also worth noting how he shrewdly tailors his runs inside the box, with him good at recognising when to hold his run as the defence collapses deeper, go centrally or hit the front or back post.
Also adept at dropping deep between the lines, into central midfield and into the half spaces, he wisely times and directs his movement when to come short.
Great at evading opposition cover shadows, venturing into vacant spaces and knowing when a passing lane is open into him, he constantly offers himself to support attacks to link play and breathe life into passages.
How he rotates with his colleagues, pins and draws markers to manufacture space for others, is so adaptable to different formations and knows when to form numerical and positional superiorities wide and centrally enhances his threat.
Accompanying his positional sense and spatial awareness is his finishing, and this elevates his game to another level.
Improving immensely in this regard during his time at Leipzig, the 25-year-old maestro has grown into an established operator when in range, able to find the back of the net from a wide array of situations and locations.
Composed, able to score with both feet and using all parts of his foot, the way he can find the net with power, placement or finesse has been a joy to watch.
Whether firing home smart rebounds, 1v1s clinically, long range blasts, free kicks, placed efforts after opening up his body or crafty dinks, he has a finish to match just about any scenario.
The technically gifted star is importantly a handy chance creator and playmaker as well, with his distribution being so key in unlocking defences and progressing the ball through the thirds.
Quick to spot runners and oblige them with measured through balls, ideally weighted crosses and cutbacks, penetrative line breaking passes or feed them with his wicked one touch layoffs and flicks, opponents are usually punished if they grant him time and space in possession.
Boasting a fine eye for a pass and the capacity to execute with precision, there's been much to admire about his polished set-piece deliveries too, as his pinpoint dead balls add to his value handsomely.
In addition, his wizardry on the dribble and ability to carry the ball upfield with speed and purpose ensure his final third nuisance is amplified.
Possessing a handy first touch and sharp ball control, how he can wriggle free of opponents in tight spaces, cut infield explosively and outfox opponents 1v1 using feints, shimmies, stepovers and spins serve him well.
Press resistant, calm under pressure and effective at luring out opponents, this helps open passing lanes and disorganise defensive setups so a free man can be accessed directly or via a third man combination.
Balanced, able to withstand pressure and so nifty with the ball at his feet, how he wins fouls in dangerous areas is important to note, thus allowing him to subsequently use his set-piece mastery from promising zones.
Upon comparing his numbers to Chelsea's versatile attacker Havertz from the 21/22 campaign, it's impressive how he holds the ascendancy in many key metrics related to goal scoring, dribbling, crossing, chance creation and progressive passing.
Ingenuitive, imaginative and direct when required, watching the multifaceted Frenchman establish himself as a bonafide star has been nothing short of impressive, with his consistency both domestically and in Europe (in the Champions and the Europa League) clearly catching Chelsea's eye.
It'll be captivating to see how he fares after making the switch to the Premier League.
Vitally, considering he joins having made over 250 professional appearances and with eight France caps to his name, this, in combination with his diverse skill set, his desire to improve and the fact he's already moved abroad before, should see him well placed to thrive.
Unlike many of Chelsea's failed offensive signings that have, at times, appeared one dimensional, not suited to the league and been mismanaged.
“Christopher has no weaknesses. He is young and still wants a lot more," Marsch said of Nkunku.
“It’s always a good thing when a young player listens to the things we say and also wants to implement them. Working with him is a lot of fun as he is really intelligent and has a lot of potential.”
Fundamentally sound, technical, athletic, smart and with still scope for improvement, expect Nkunku to shine brightly at Chelsea too just like he did at Leipzig.
He's too good not to.