Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has hinted that talismanic attacking midfielder Cole Palmer could be moved up front following injuries to two of the club’s strikers this week.
Nicolas Jackson picked up a hamstring issue during Chelsea’s 2-1 victory over West Ham United on Monday, while Marc Guiu, who replaced Jackson during the match, also sustained an adductor injury.
Guiu is expected to be sidelined for “weeks or months,” while Jackson may return in a few days. However, Chelsea faces Brighton twice within a week, forcing Maresca to consider alternative options for his forward line.
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The obvious replacement for the injured pair is Christopher Nkunku, with Maresca noting, “Christo has already played as a No.9.”
Despite Nkunku’s versatility, Maresca has rarely relied on him as a starter against Premier League opposition. Even during his impressive performances in the Europa Conference League, the former RB Leipzig forward has typically been used in a deeper role.
Maresca also suggested that Palmer might be an option for a central forward role, pointing out, “Cole has played as a No.9 in the past. We can explore different solutions. Right now, we haven’t decided anything because we are still waiting on Nico [Jackson], and from there, we will look at other options.”
Palmer has primarily been used as a No.10 in a 4-2-3-1 system this season, with his role occasionally adjusted based on Maresca’s tactical observations of the opposition. Palmer has some experience as a centre-forward, having been deployed in that role sporadically during Mauricio Pochettino’s first season at Chelsea and more notably during his time in Manchester City’s youth team, where he was coached by Maresca.
The shortage of natural forwards comes just after a transfer window in which Joao Felix joined AC Milan on loan, and Chelsea’s only winter signing was teenage midfielder Mathis Amougou.
While Maresca claimed to have “no regrets” about his club’s recent recruitment, he acknowledged that future planning was already underway: “In the summer, we will see if we need something different, not just in terms of strikers but in general,” the Italian coach added. “It’s bad luck that both strikers got injured in the same game.”
