'He's our player' - Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca responds after Man Utd make contact over potential Christopher Nkunku transfer

Nkunku, who was on the fringes of Maresca's squad throughout the 2024-25 campaign, has been linked with a move away from the west London side, with L'Equipe reporting that Manchester United are keen on signing the Stamford Bridge outcast. The report added that the Red Devils have initiated initial talks with the player's representatives, although no concrete proposal has been submitted.

Amid speculation over his future, Maresca has firmly claimed that the French forward is still a Chelsea player and believes Nkunku will stay at the club beyond this summer. The 27-year-old clocked just 910 minutes on the pitch in the Premier League last season. While he appeared in 33 league matches, the France international managed to start in only nine of them.

Speaking to reporters, the Italian said: "Christo is with us. He's our player. He's doing very well in the last four, five days. For sure, tomorrow we are going to do rotation. We'll see if there is any chance for the ones that are not playing a lot."

The Premier League giants are set to face ES Tunis in a must-win final group stage clash in the Club World Cup on Wednesday.