Posted by After Blues forward Christopher Nkunku had knee surgery, Mauricio Pochettino warned on Friday that Chelsea might need to go back into the transfer market.
According to reports, Chelsea paid £63 million ($80 million) to acquire the 25-year-old French international from RB Leipzig in June. The team announced his absence from action for a “extended period” earlier this week.
Last week in Chicago, during a preseason friendly against Borussia Dortmund, Nkunku injured the left knee that kept him out of the World Cup finals last year.
After a disappointing season in which they scored only 38 goals, former Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino brought two new forwards Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson to Stamford Bridge.
Jackson is the only recognized striker Chelsea has available for Sunday’s Premier League opener against Liverpool, as Romelu Lukaku is eager to return to Italy, where he spent last season on loan with Inter Milan, Armando Broja is recovering from injury, and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has left the club.
Pochettino expressed his regret about Nkunku’s situation, saying, “We feel sorry about (Nkunku) because he was doing well,” at a press conference on Friday. He’s one of the best attacking players and he can switch positions, therefore he was crucial to our team.
It’s a major problem for us. Forget about the wounds for the time being and focus on the bright side.
We are actively seeking a replacement for this attacking talent on the market. The team is actively exploring potential solutions, both near- and far-term, in an effort to bring in the ideal player.
Pochettino, however, remained silent when asked about Moises Cacedo’s possible transfer to Chelsea.
For a purported British record fee of £110 million ($140 million, 127 million euros), Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp stated on Friday that the Reds had struck a deal with Brighton for the sale of Caicedo.
The 21-year-old Ecuadorian midfielder has been linked to both Chelsea and Manchester United, but he is yet to make a decision, according to Sky Sports.
Both Chelsea and Liverpool are trying to retool their rosters following dismal seasons recently, but Pochettino claims his task is more difficult than Klopp’s.
To paraphrase, “I think we are more in transition than Liverpool,” he remarked. Because I just started working here and Klopp has been at Liverpool for seven years. In seven years, you can plan for the future, foresee potential challenges, and stay one step ahead of the game.
Even though we are in transition, people realize we cannot send the impression that we are in transition,” Pochettino continued. “Of course, we are Chelsea, the history of the club is to win.” Our success depends on our readiness to succeed. In addition, we will be prepared to beat Liverpool.
Players and the club as a whole must have a mindset centered on winning by whatever means necessary. I won’t give in to the possibility of being wrong.
“Excuse? Okay, I guess, for them, but not for us; we must be strong.