Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca 'forces striker to play different position in training'

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca has reportedly been playing a striker as a defensive midfielder in an unusual move on the training pitch. The west Londoners are finalising their preparations to face Paris Saint-Germain in this weekend's Club World Cup final. They wrapped up the previous campaign by winning the Conference League and now find themselves one game away from more silverware.

Maresca will need to ensure he gets his team selection right to give Chelsea the best chance of beating PSG in the final. There are question marks over which of their strikers will lead the line, with Joao Pedro arguably the standout candidate following his brace against Fluminense. Liam Delap is back from suspension while Nicolas Jackson may also be in contention to start.

One player who is unlikely to get the nod is Christopher Nkunku, who has been linked with a summer move away from Stamford Bridge. He played against Fluminense but was deployed as a right winger rather than a central striker.

Nkunku has also been learning the ropes of an unusual position he has never played before. According to L'Equipe, he has been forced to train as a defensive midfielder on several occasions in a wild departure from his regular role.

The report suggests it could be a ploy from Maresca to test the 27-year-old's strength of character. Nkunku is said to prefer a central position on the pitch but given that he is a natural striker or attacking midfielder, he is more comfortable playing further forward.

It seems highly unlikely that Nkunku will play as a defensive midfielder when Chelsea go up against PSG this weekend. The usual pairing of Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez will almost certainly feature in the holding positions.

In the event Nkunku does play in the Club World Cup final, it could be his last appearance in a Chelsea shirt. Bayern Munich are said to be weighing up a potential move for his signature between now and the start of the new campaign.

Nkunku reportedly wants to leave Chelsea and make a fresh start elsewhere after falling down the pecking order. Cole Palmer is almost a guaranteed starter in the attacking midfield role, while Pedro, Delap and Jackson are more likely to play up front.

Manchester United have also been credited with an interest in Nkunku, who remains tied down at Chelsea until the summer of 2029. The Blues are reportedly willing to consider offers in the region of £35million.

Maresca recently admitted that Nkunku may not be a Chelsea player for much longer, saying: "If [Nkunku] is here with us, it is because we think he can help us and he can be with us even next season.

"But as you said, there are many speculations, not just about Christo, about many players. And then if something is going to happen, I don't know.

"We said many times that when the transfer window is open, anything can happen in terms of players that can arrive or players that can leave."

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