Chelsea given injury boost as long term absentee returns to partial team training ahead of Man City clash
Chelsea have been handed a major injury boost as Christopher Nkunku has returned to partial team training ahead of the FA Cup semifinal showdown against Manchester City.
The Blues will take on the Cityzens in a Wembley clash on Saturday, April 20. Nkunku's return could be a big morale boost for Mauricio Pochettino's team. The Frenchman's participation, though, remains in doubt.
Nkunku joined the Blues in the 2023 summer and has already suffered several injury issues, including a knee injury, a hamstring knock, and a hip issue. He has so far made only 10 appearances across competitions this term, scoring twice.
The France international joined Chelsea from RB Leipzig after a promising spell in German football. He was one of the Bundesliga's best attackers, netting 47 goals and providing 43 assists in 119 appearances for them.
Expectations were high after Christopher Nkunku's move to Stamford Bridge. The 26-year-old, though, is yet to showcase his full array of skills in English football. His injury-plagued first campaign hasn't allowed the player to feature regularly in a Blues side that have a massive room for improvement in the attack.
Mauricio Pochettino on Chelsea attacker Christopher Nkunku
Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino has maintained a cautious approach towards Christopher Nkunku's involvement. He has chosen to follow the medical team's assessments of the player's fitness.
Pochettino has claimed that Nkunku's reaction to partial training will be observed before deciding on his potential involvement. The Blues' boss said (via football.london):
"They assess him day by day and in the last few days he has the possibility to be involved in some parts of the training sessions. We now need to see the reaction of his body and how it evolves. We hope they can be involved soon."
The Blues will seemingly have to do with Nkunku in the FA Cup semi-finals against Manchester City. After reaching the Carabao Cup final earlier in the season, the Londoners now aim to reach the FA Cup final. Winning the FA Cup would guarantee Pochettino's side a place in next season's UEFA Europa League.