Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson will spend six to eight weeks on the sidelines with a hamstring injury but that does not guarantee Christopher Nkunku a spot in attack up front, coach Enzo Maresca said on Thursday.
Jackson, who has scored nine Premier League goals this season, was injured in their 2-1 win over West Ham United earlier this month but attempted to play on before being taken off in the second half.
“Nico will be out until the international break, probably available after the international break,” Maresca told reporters ahead of Friday’s league trip to Brighton & Hove Albion, the team that dumped them out of the FA Cup over the weekend.
“We knew it was a muscular problem but not how important it was. His reaction was good, so we didn’t think it was a big injury. Unfortunately he had the scan a few days ago and it is an important one, he will be out for six to eight weeks.”
Maresca also confirmed Marc Guiu, Romeo Lavia, Benoit Badiashile and Wesley Fofana also remain sidelined with injuries.
The Italian manager said Fofana needs two or three weeks to return to action while Lavia could also be back only after next month’s international break.
Jackson’s absence might have been the perfect opportunity for Nkunku to stake his claim for the striker’s role but Maresca is not convinced Chelsea’s 60 million pound ($74.98 million) recruit can lead the line.
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Nkunku scored 23 goals for RB Leipzig in his final season with the German club in 2022-23 but the French forward spent most of last season injured and has made only three league starts this season.
“I said since day one that Christo (Nkunku) is not a (number) nine, he is an attacking midfielder. We know very well that Christo is not a nine,” Maresca said.
“Sometimes we complain about players but then when they don’t play, you realise how important they are. He (Jackson) didn’t play against Brighton and then everyone was thinking it is difficult to play without a nine.
“We know exactly how good Nico is on and off the ball. Christo is completely different on and off the ball.”
Maresca said Nkunku was not the only solution against Brighton. “It can be Christo but also a different kind of player,” he said.
“Pedro (Neto), Noni (Madueke) or even Tyrique (George), they can try and be a solution for us. Jadon (Sancho) has different skills. When you don’t have a proper nine, you need to use a different kind of nine but you need to change the way you play.”
