How a £52m Chelsea star is forcing Enzo Maresca to change his ways behind the scenes amid PSG links

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There is a level of competition brewing at Chelsea that could define the season - and one striker is at the heart of it.

One of the healthiest competitions pushing Chelsea to another level is between Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson, who is on a mission to prove that he has what it takes to be the main man at a club like the Blues.

When Nkunku was signed for £52million from RB Leipzig, he was brought in to be the focal point of the team. He started the pre-season on fire, scoring three goals and forming a formidable partnership with Jackson, who had arrived from Villarreal. Unfortunately, Nkunku picked up a serious injury against Dortmund, which meant he began the season sidelined and had to play catch-up.

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This season, he’s on a mission. He was Chelsea’s top scorer in pre-season again and carried that form into the main season, where he is currently the highest scorer for the club. Recently, he returned to France for his first national team call-up in a year and reminded everyone why he was such a big deal when he played in Germany.

There have been links to PSG this summer, but he’s been smart about it. Regarding his partnership with Barcola, he said: “Since the start of the season, I’ve been following PSG closely, and I can see he’s been putting up great stats. He scores and makes an impact, which is exactly what we expect from an attacking player. I hope he keeps it up, both at PSG and with the national team, just like he did [against Israel]. A Nkunku-Barcola partnership at PSG? I don’t know what to say about that. But yes, PSG is still a big club. Any approach this summer? No, no, no. I’ve always said there was no approach.”

How Nkunku is changing minds and forcing decisions

This has been one of the biggest gains of the season. Nkunku has been eager to return to the first team, and he’s demonstrated that through his training and play. One of the best ways to gauge a player on a mission is by observing their body language and how they conduct themselves.

Against Bournemouth, he was brilliant when he came off the bench—not just because he scored the winner, but also for his hold-up play and overall demeanour. Since then, he’s had a hat trick and is now forcing the conversation about whether he deserves to be the main striker.

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There have been challenges at the club with new players coming in and competing for the same spot, but Nkunku has accepted the challenge. His focus is on pushing the manager to decide who should be the main striker at the club.

One of the best things about his newfound focus is that it has also compelled Nicolas Jackson to elevate his game. When Jackson doesn’t score, he gets frustrated, which contributes to a heightened level of competition that is good for the team.

The next few games will reveal how good this Chelsea team can be. With Nkunku on a mission to make his mark while teams in France are watching, Chelsea will need to continue winning, and Jackson will need to keep scoring to keep Nkunku on the bench.

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