Nkunku Faces Crucial International Window to Reclaim France Spot
Clairefontaine, France – October 9, 2025 – Christopher Nkunku enters a critical period with the French national team, needing strong performances in upcoming matches against Azerbaijan this Friday and Iceland next Monday to solidify his position ahead of November and june squad selections. The October gathering presents a key prospect for the Milan forward to demonstrate consistent form and address concerns regarding playing time at his club, chelsea, previously highlighted by national team manager Didier Deschamps.
Nkunku’s path back into Deschamps’ regular plans is intricate by fierce competition for forward positions, including Marcus Thuram, Kolo Muani, and Hugo Ekitike. Though, the absence of several attacking options – Doué, Barcola, Cherki, and Dembélé – from the current roster significantly elevates the stakes for Nkunku. As Deschamps stated last November, “He hasn’t been here for a while as he unluckily suffered a lot of injuries which prevented him from having continuity… being rid of that, and stringing together good performances and playing time, should allow him to return to his best level.”
Support for Nkunku’s potential impact comes from teammate Adrien Rabiot, who praised Nkunku’s abilities in an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport: “He is an excellent player, efficient in front of goal, technically solid, capable of breaking through and coming back to score… He came in a bit behind and it will take time for him to recover, but he has already shown some fascinating things.” Rabiot also noted Milan coach Allegri is “delighted to have him,” viewing Nkunku as “an additional offensive weapon which will be essential in the race for the Scudetto.”
The pressure is on Nkunku to capitalize on this chance, with his performances against Azerbaijan and Iceland directly influencing his chances of a return to Clairefontaine for future international duties. The cards, as the report states, are now firmly in his hands.
