“He’s not mentally stable” “He needs to join Arsenal – Malouda tells Chelsea star to join Arsenal after struggling at Chelsea
Chelsea legend Florent Malouda has offered a brutally honest assessment of Christopher Nkunku’s situation at Stamford Bridge, suggesting that the French forward might benefit from a move to either Arsenal or Bayern Munich – though he also urges the player not to give up on proving himself in blue.
Nkunku’s time at Chelsea has been hampered by injuries and inconsistency since his high-profile switch from RB Leipzig. Despite flashes of quality, he’s yet to hit the heights expected of him, and with clubs like Liverpool and Arsenal reportedly circling, questions are being asked about his future.
Malouda, a fan favourite during his time at Chelsea, spoke candidly about Nkunku’s struggles while speaking to Racing Tipster. He said: “Arsenal or Bayern Munich would be the right kind of place for him to go, but I’m not sure he should leave Chelsea.”
The former winger continued to praise Nkunku’s talent and character, while also pointing to the mental challenges the player seems to be facing: “Personally, I like him as a player, as a person. I would love for him to fight and to prove what he showed in the beginning.”
Malouda also drew parallels with another talented player whose career has stalled – Jadon Sancho – implying that Nkunku may be suffering from a similar mindset.
“I think it’s more a mental aspect that he needs to work on a little bit, like Jadon Sancho. Moving clubs, it’s sometimes running away from what you have to adjust,” Malouda explained. “He’s used to the Bundesliga, but at Bayern, there would be competition too. So for me he has more things to improve.”
He went on to question Nkunku’s psychological resilience: “But it’s like he kind of gave up mentally, and that’s what he needs to adjust.”
Still, Malouda acknowledged that both Arsenal and Bayern Munich could provide the right kind of setting for Nkunku to get back on track – especially with the World Cup looming in 2026. “But yeah, Bayern Munich or Arsenal would be good clubs for him to continue to progress and, and most important is to prepare for the World Cup coming next year.”
From a Chelsea fan’s perspective, much was expected from Nkunku, but the Frenchman never really showed up to the party.