Why Chelsea should fight tooth and nail to ensure £52m star should stays amid Manchester United interest

Manchester United has reportedly shown interest in one of Chelsea's leading strikers as part of their efforts to provide new manager Rubem Amorim with the best tools to implement his new system. Despite Christopher Nkunku reportedly being unhappy with his game time since his £52 million move from Leipzig to the Premier League, he has more than shown enough in recent months to warrant keeping him at the club.

One of the reasons for his restricted minutes under Maresca is the injuries he suffered last season. When Chelsea signed him, Nkunku was expected to be the main striker alongside Nicolas Jackson, and together they impressed in pre-season under Mauricio Pochettino before his injury in the match against Dortmund derailed his progress.

This season, Nkunku has fought his way back, scoring ten goals in total: one in the Premier League, six in the Conference League, and three in the League Cup, although Chelsea were eliminated early from that competition.

Additionally, Nkunku has fought his way back into the France national team and has clearly done enough to attract interest from both French clubs and Manchester United. However, there are concerns at Chelsea about his ability to hold up the ball well, and at times, he goes missing during games, despite his knack for scoring when it matters.

The way manager Maresca plays requires players who can contribute to the build-up of play, and when you look at Jackson – who is currently getting more minutes ahead of Nkunku – his hold-up play has improved. While Jackson is not yet the finished article, there's no doubt he’s proven himself as a number nine who can hold the ball up and stretch opposition defences, creating space for players like Cole Palmer, Pedro Neto, and Noni Madueke.

However, regardless of Chelsea’s thoughts on Nkunku and any deficiencies he may have, selling him to a direct rival like Manchester United would be a mistake. Nkunku's potential is extremely high, and Chelsea did their homework before deciding to sign him. Allowing him time to adapt and regain his form will benefit the team in the long run.

Even Maresca has admitted he feels sympathy for Nkunku, as the team had to adapt their playing style, which may not have suited him. As a result, Nkunku has primarily been used as a central striker, despite this not being his natural position. When discussing Nkunku's lack of game time, Maresca said:

"Also, he was probably our best player in pre-season, no doubt. He was playing then as an attacking midfielder, and now we are using him as a nine, which we all know isn't his position – he's more of a second striker or someone who operates between the lines."

The Chelsea project is built around ensuring young players see Stamford Bridge as their home, and Nkunku is an integral part of that vision. Selling him to a direct rival like Manchester United would be a self-defeating move.