While Christopher Nkunku had a big moment during the international break with his maiden goal for the senior France national side, making an impact for Chelsea so far hasn’t been quite so simple.
Nkunku, 26, arrived from the Bundesliga’s RB Leipzig in the summer of 2023, and has been a fringe player thanks in no small part to injury while the former Premier League and Champions League winners navigated a tough transitional phase.
His star turn in France’s 4-1 win over Israel on Thursday, however, saw him re-take the lead for Les Bleus with a terrific Cruyff turn that left three defenders helpless before he calmly converted, and he and his comrades didn’t look back with another two goals after that.
The performance has sparked fresh discussion over whether he could cement his name on Enzo Maresca’s teamsheet as an out-and-out striker, having previously had his versatility used to full extent, and continue the London side’s good start to 2024/25.
However a Premier League legend from the concept’s formative days believes a switch to a team very close to the Blues in the current standings could be what Nkunku needs to continue his career progress.
Dean Saunders, one of the Prem’s most prolific goalscorers in the 1990s, believes his old club Aston Villa would be able to use him to his full potential.
“Chelsea, I’ve lost count of how many players they’ve got but they can’t all get in the team,” Saunders told BonusCode (as reported by Birmingham World).
“They’re not only the best players in the country they’re from but they’re treated like the best ever from that country. They’ve also been the best players at the clubs they were at.
“They find it really difficult to sit on the bench for five or six games and not get a game. I’ve been a manager and this is where you start getting issues.
“At the moment, Nkunku knows no matter what I do, I’m not going to start in front of Jackson.
“With seven games in, I can’t see a future at the club. You [Villa] probably can get a deal out of Chelsea right now.”
Chelsea or Aston Villa: Who has scored more?
Villa are currently fifth in the league standings and level on 14 points with Chelsea, but have scored four less goals across the first seven games and sit behind them on goal difference as a result.
If such a deal were possible for the Villains in January, it could potentially swing the pendulum in their favour regarding the coveted Champions League spots.
