Enzo Maresca admits unfair treatment of wantaway Chelsea star | OneFootball

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has confessed he has been "unfair" with Christopher Nkunku this season.

Nkunku has been stuck firmly behind Nicolas Jackson in the pecking order, starting just three Premier League games, and was not the first option off the bench to replace the Senegal international in Monday's 2-1 win over West Ham United. Maresca initially turned to teenager Marc Guiu instead, before eventually introducing Nkunku later on.

There was a time in the winter transfer window in which Nkunku's future looked to be away from Stamford Bridge. Bayern Munich agreed personal terms with the Frenchman and wanted to sign him as a replacement for Tottenham-bound Mathys Tel, while Manchester United made their own deadline day move for Nkunku, only for both sides to find him unwilling to listen to loan offers.

Nkunku sought a permanent transfer away from Chelsea. But the Blues wanted close to £70m to authorise a sale, while both Bayern and United were operating closer to the £45m mark, and a deal ultimately collapsed.

"Christo, since day one, has been very good, very professional," Maresca said after Monday's win.

"Probably in some moments, I have been unfair with him because probably he deserves something more. But hopefully from now on he can help us a little bit more."

Nkunku is on the fringes / Visionhaus/GettyImages

Winger Pedro Neto, who came off the bench to score Chelsea's equaliser against West Ham, revealed Maresca's boost to all his substitutes after the game.

"Of course, everyone wants to play but it shows just how important having a squad is, everyone is there to help the team whether you start or come on," Neto told club media.

"I think the subs all played a big part. I managed to get a goal which I'm really happy with and then you had Marc, Christo and Malo [Gusto] playing their part and even Trevoh [Chalobah] defending so well for the final five minutes or so.

"The manager also says how it is a team game and we all came on in the second half to help the guys, and we're all so happy to help us get the three points."