Chelsea have reportedly agreed a deal to sign RB Leipzig forward Christopher Nkunku next summer.
The Frenchman was ruled out of the World Cup with a knee ligament injury sustained during France’s final training session before flying to Qatar. The injury might keep him sidelined for around three months, so a summer transfer appears to be the only real option available for both clubs.
According to Fabrizio Romano, the deal is in the final stages with the medical already completed in September. Chelsea will be paying north of the €60m release clause but with more flexible payment terms in place.
Chelsea are closing in on Christopher Nkunku deal. Medical already done as reported in September, agreement in place with Leipzig for more than €60m clause/easier payment terms. 🚨🔵 #CFC
Long term deal agreed starting from June 2023.
Time to sign contracts then… here we go. pic.twitter.com/ByZKO5vlb9
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) November 28, 2022
Nkunku, 25, was named the Bundesliga player of the year last season after a rip-roaring campaign, where he netted 35 goals and assisted 20 more in 52 outings across all competitions. The French attacker has brought his rich goal-scoring form into this season, netting 12 goals in just 15 Bundesliga games to help RB Leipzig go into the World Cup break in third position.
Christopher Nkunku to Chelsea—How will he fit in?
Chelsea have not performed as per their high standards this season and manager Graham Potter needs time to build his squad and implement his philosophy. The poor run of form that includes three consecutive defeats in the Premier League has seen the Blues drop down to eighth in the table, leaving Potter in a spot of bother over the World Cup break.
The likes of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Raheem Sterling haven’t had the best of starts to their Chelsea careers, while Christian Pulisic, Kai Havertz and Hakim Ziyech are yet to bring consistency in their games. It is very much possible that Chelsea offload both Pulisic and Ziyech at the end of the season to create room in the squad for fresh blood.
One player who looks set to join the Blues next year is Christopher Nkunku. The 25-year-old is one of the hottest properties in Europe thanks to his evolution as a footballer in the last 15-18 months with RB Leipzig.
Nkunku is an extremely versatile commodity capable of playing anywhere across the front line or in an advanced midfield role. The eight-cap France international’s pace to make runs in behind the opponents, combined with his dribbling skills, passing range, vision and movement, makes him an asset for his team. He is technically gifted and tactically versatile, which should tune in well with Potter’s possession-based style of play at Stamford Bridge.
In a 4-3-3/4-2-3-1, 3-5-2 or 3-4-2-1 system, Potter can use Nkunku in a variety of attacking roles from left forward, in the hole behind the striker to a false 9, and the 25-year-old would thrive in every possible manner.
The ex-PSG man’s qualities could help transform the Pensioners’ toothless attack, whilst allowing Sterling and Aubameyang to have more impact in the final third. Plus, he would be an instant upgrade on the injury-prone and inconsistent Pulisic.
At 25, Christopher Nkunku is approaching the peak years of his career and will hope to take his game to the next level under Potter at Stamford Bridge. Having apparently completed all the details to sign him from Leipzig, Chelsea must hope Nkunku’s knee ligament injury doesn’t hold his career back.
