Chelsea news: Christopher Nkunku is still waiting to have his kit number at Stamford Bridge confirmed and could take over from N’Golo Kante.
Christopher Nkunku could take on a big shirt number at Chelsea.
With the amount of change at Stamford Bridge this summer is going to come some fresh decisions for fans to make as well. Not only do they not have a new set of kits that they can officially start to don, they are no closer to knowing the players that may wear them.
For those who like to buy jerseys with the newest big name signing sported on the back, having a summer of uncertain ins and outs does not make for simple kit planning.
As well as not yet having a new sponsor confirmed, an issue that is also effecting the delay in kit release, there could be as many as 15 first team players sold. These are set to include popular assets, too. Christian Pulisic and Mason Mount are both likely to be leaving meanwhile N’Golo Kante has already been confirmed as parting ways.
Kai Havertz is also on his way in a deal to take him across London and all of a sudden the remaining stars are largely made up of new January additions and youngsters. It is not a squad of massive names and global hot shots either, leaving many uncertain as to who their shirt name of choice might be.
Another issue with this is the potential for change of squad numbers. Such influx will lend itself to more popular and trendy numbers being open including No.9, No.11, potentially No.1 and also the club’s iconic No.26.
One player that will have a decision to make over their number will be the incoming Christopher Nkunku. The Frenchman was confirmed as the second new addition to Mauricio Pochettino’s squad, coming in after Kendry Paez. Having agreed a deal to join earlier in the season, Nkunku will join up with his teammates for pre-season.
He will also have a large choice of kit numbers to choose from as he comes in as the statement signing of the window. His favoured number at RB Leipzig was 18, the one that he wore from start to finish in Germany. That is currently taken by Armando Broja, though with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang likely to leave, the No.9 may also open itself to availability later on in the summer.
Nkunku is yet to wear the No.9 top for club football and it is an infamous one with fans at Chelsea after a number of high profile failures. Avoiding that may well ease the minds of supporters. He has otherwise moved from No.10, No.11 and No.14 from his time with Paris Saint-Germain.
For his national side he has taken No.12, No.18 and No.7 with matches for France and the Under-21s side. It is the No.7 that will be an interesting one to watch.
Chelsea have had it occupied by Kante since his arrival in 2016. Now that he has departed it opens up the stylish number to other players and with Nkunku joining, there’s a chance he may take the option.
With Chelsea also not expected to be massively busy in terms of incomings it would make for interesting viewing to see if other current members were to change their number of choice, particularly the January arrivals that will now see a clearout of big numbers including No.8 and No.19.
Soucre: football.london
