Nkunku is 'really close' to being match fit and is recovering ahead of schedule

Christopher Nkunku is 'really close' to being match fit and is recovering quicker than anticipated, Mauricio Pochettino said.

Chelsea's £53million summer buy required knee surgery after an injury blow in pre-season against Borussia Dortmund put him out for an 'extended period'.

Now his manager has revealed that he could be back after the next international break, which takes place in mid-to-late November.

He said: 'He is doing really, really well. He is really close [to returning]. Maybe after the international break, he will be involved. Maybe, maybe, not sure.

'He was the player when you see the goals from last season, it’s a player that can provide goals and I think we are missing goals.

'We think he’s a player that can be important for us because he proved he can score.

Nkunku scored 58 goals across his last two seasons at RB Leipzig and was named the Bundesliga Player of the Season for 2021-22.

After he started out at PSG but struggled to break into the first team, he spent four years at the German outfit and helped them win the DFB-Pokal in 2022 and 2023.

he Blues made him one of their marquee summer signings and he was expected to provide the goals as Pochettino began his tenure.

However, he suffered a blow after a challenge from Borussia Dortmund's Mats Hummels in August, just ten days before Chelsea's Premier League opener against Liverpool.

It was feared he wouldn't be able to play until around December but if he were to be ready immediately after the international break, he could feature against Newcastle on November 25.

Nkunku was Chelsea's standout pre-season performer, notching three goals on their tour of America.

How desperately they need those goals now. Chelsea have managed just 13 in the league this season,