Ex-Chelsea midfielder Gus Poyet says there is no guarantee that Christopher Nkunku would be better off if he leaves the club during the January transfer window.

There are multiple reports claiming that the Frenchman is unhappy with his playing time at Stamford Bridge but, speaking exclusively to ChelseaNews.com (courtesy of BetVictor), Poyet said he could easily join a “worse team” where he could become unhappy for other reasons:

“I think it’s up to him and the club. It is something that we cannot make an opinion on because we don’t know how he feels. It depends where. I don’t know too many managers that they’re going to say to a player: ‘You come in here and you play all the time’.”

“Maybe if he was to go to a worse team than Chelsea then, yeah, he’s going to be the main star… but [if] he doesn’t win and then he’s not happy when he leaves because he’s not winning football games. So it’s a big decision, but I think it’s important for him to make it because we are all different.”

Nkunku was on the substitutes bench again versus Leicester

Head coach Enzo Maresca omitted the 27-year-old from the starting eleven for the 2-1 win over the Foxes at the weekend.

Nkunku was given just 10 minutes to impress at the King Power Stadium on Saturday, replacing Joao Felix. He has only started one Premier League match all season and that was the opening day defeat to Manchester City.

Could the Chelsea forward leave in January?

The France international is seemingly very keen to get more minutes, and you cannot rule out the player moving clubs in the New Year if the right offer comes along.

Manchester United have been mentioned as a potential suitor, although it is believed that their enquiry came in the summer when Erik ten Hag was still manager. It is not known whether the Red Devils remain interested.

We will have more insights from Gus Poyet in further excerpts from our exclusive interview with the former Blues midfielder over the coming days. Read our first post where Poyet talks about Enzo Maresca here.

Find out who is in Chelsea’s first-team squad for the 2024/2025 season here