“He’s still valuable to us and his performance against ES Tunis proved my point. We still believe in him and he’s not leave us soon”… This is according to Enzo Maresca as he remains hopeful about underperforming Chelsea player after giving him a shot against ES Tunis

Enzo Maresca throws support behind underperforming Chelsea forward after win over ES Tunis

Following Chelsea’s 3-0 victory against Esperance Sportive de Tunis, manager Enzo Maresca expressed confidence in one of his players who’s been under scrutiny.

Maresca made several changes to the starting lineup, with Christopher Nkunku, Filip Jorgensen, and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall all named in the XI. Dewsbury-Hall continues to be linked with a potential move away from Stamford Bridge, with reports suggesting he could be included in a swap deal for Brighton’s Joao Pedro. Similarly, questions persist about Nkunku’s future amid reported interest from Manchester United.

Despite the transfer speculation, Maresca chose to start Nkunku in the Club World Cup group match. Speaking after the game, the Chelsea boss stated, as reported by The Standard, that Nkunku remains part of his plans for next season—though he acknowledged that the transfer window brings uncertainty.

“If Christo is still with us, it means we believe he can contribute and continue with us next season,” Maresca said. “But as you know, there are many rumors—not just about Christo, but other players too. And with the transfer market open, anything can happen in terms of incoming or outgoing players.”

With Nkunku’s future in question, there has been talk of a possible swap involving Manchester United’s Alejandro Garnacho, who is on Chelsea’s radar. Meanwhile, Jadon Sancho has returned to Old Trafford, and Chelsea are short on wingers due to Mykhailo Mudryk’s unavailability.

While some fans would be open to a deal that sees Nkunku leave in exchange for Garnacho, the French forward has struggled to make an impact since joining—mainly due to injuries. As a result, a portion of the fanbase might not be too concerned if he departs.