Nkunku Suffers Setback: 10 Chelsea Players With Most Games Missed Due to Injury This Season

• Christopher Nkunku will miss 3-4 weeks due to an injury
• The French star completed the Carabao Cup final unhurt
• He is among those who missed the most games this term

Christopher Nkunku created a fresh headache for Mauricio Pochettino after the Chelsea boss confirmed the France international would be out for another three to four weeks.

He completed the Carabao Cup final loss to Liverpool unhurt after replacing Raheem Sterling in the 67th minute, and even the manager was confused about when he got injured.

Nkunku has barely played this season due to injuries and is one of the frequent faces at the hospital bed for the club.

Sports Brief looks at 10 players who have missed the most games for Chelsea this season due to injuries.

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10 Chelsea players with most games missed

1. Wesley Fofana

The £75 million signing from Leicester City in 2022, Fofana, has yet to kick a ball for the team this season after injuring his anterior cruciate ligament and undergoing surgery in July, missing the pre-season tour of the United States. Per Transfermarkt, he has missed 37 games and still counting this season.

2. Trevoh Chalobah

The academy star featured in pre-season but suddenly featured on the injury list at the start of the season. Fans initially speculated it was linked to a move away after his transfer to Bayern Munich collapsed and he rejected Nottingham Forest. He returned to action in the 1-1 draw against Manchester City and played a few minutes against Liverpool. Overall, Chalobah has missed 32 games.

3. Reece James

James was named Chelsea captain at the start of the season, a decision that raised the fans' eyebrows due to his fitness issues. He has featured in only nine games this season and underwent surgery on his hamstring in December, per The Athletic. He has missed 29 games and counting.

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3. Romeo Lavia

In the summer, the Blues won a transfer battle over Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia. The Belgian teenager suffered an ankle injury during his integration training. He played 32 minutes in the 2-1 win over Crystal Palace in December and has been out since then. He has missed 29 games and counting.

5. Christopher Nkunku

Nkunku joined the team in July, having agreed on a move in February 2023. He was active in pre-season but suffered a knee injury in the final game against Borussia Dortmund. It has been on and off since then, has missed 28 games, and will miss more in the next month.

6. Carney Chukwuemeka

The young English midfielder is in his second season with the club after joining from Aston Villa. He scored his first goal in the 3-1 loss to West Ham United but left the pitch injured. He has been in and out of the team since then and has missed 26 games.

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7. Marc Cucurella - 20

8. Lesley Ugochukwu - 19

9. Ben Chilwell - 18

10. Benoit Badiashile - 17

EPL clubs with most injuries

Sports Brief previously analysed Premier League clubs with the most injuries after Liverpool’s injury list grew longer a week before the Carabao Cup final.

The Reds and their opponents were among the teams with the most casualties, but Jurgen Klopp’s men still managed to win the title against the Blues.