Christopher Nkunku has been finding new ways to keep himself busy during the international break as he prepares to make a long-awaited Chelsea debut in the coming weeks. The 26-year-old has celebrated his birthday since the Blues drew 4-4 against Manchester City last weekend and is targeting a competitive debut before the new year.

"We had some conversation and he said to me I want to be ready for after the international break, Newcastle," Mauricio Pochettino said ahead of that game. "I asked him yesterday [about a return] and he said 'hmmm,'" he continued. "And I said you are liar!"

Chelsea take on Newcastle in their first game back, travelling to St James' Park on November 25 but this is still likely to be too soon for the Frenchman with Eddie Howe's side visiting Stamford Bridge in late December for a Carabao Cup tie as well. Either way it has been a frustrating start to life for him.

The former RB Leipzig man is finally back out on the grass in training at Cobham but is without most of his teammates now as they are away on international duty. It's not to worry though as his personal trainer has kept things entertaining.

Posting on Instagram on Saturday afternoon PRP Team, lead by Jerome Andral, promoted a challenge between Nkunku, Paris Saint-Germain's on-loan right-back Colin Dagba and Liverpool's Ibrahima Konate, captioning it 'challenge of the week.' Konate, who was expected to play against Nkunku on the opening day as Liverpool visited SW6, is currently away with Didier Deschamps' side.

In a second post to his story it is then revealed that Nkunku had won, managing to hit 51 correct reaction buttons on the floor whilst also balancing in a side-plank position with his feet raised on an exercise ball, keeping his body off the ground. In a bit of light-hearted fun it is another good sign for Nkunku as he prepares to get back to the pitch.

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He would have been expecting to be in the mix for a starting spot for Les Bleus at this stage of the season but is yet to play since pre-season after suffering a damaging knee injury in the final game of the tour of America in August. Konate, however, is in the team and will be targeting a seventh win in a row in Group B as France take on pointless Gibraltar on Saturday.

The 2018 World Cup winners are already qualified for Euro 2024 with two games to go and will be aiming to go one better than their 2016 home final defeat to Portugal. Nkunku is yet to truly establish himself in the national team due to the strength of the attacking options but will be hoping to change that when he does start playing for Chelsea.