Christopher Nkunku to Man United: Chelsea exit update emerges on unhappy striker
Christopher Nkunku is unhappy with his situation at Chelsea but Man United are not expected to be able to afford a big-money move for him in the New Year, The Athletic report.
The Frenchman has found himself sidelined in league play, where forwards Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson have been regular starters, leading to frustration to grow for the 27-year-old over a lack of game time.
According to The Athletic, unless money is raised from outgoings Man United are not expected to have the funds to make a sizeable bid for Nkunku in the January transfer window.
This comes after Football Insider revealed that he is a transfer target at Old Trafford, according to former Man United and Blackburn Rovers chief scout Mick Brown, who remains very well-connected within the game.
Despite being fully fit and tallying 10 goals across all competitions this season, the forward has yet to secure a regular Premier League role under Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca.
Links to Paris Saint-Germain or the Saudi Pro League are reportedly also not active situations and the earliest he could currently leave would be the summer.
Chelsea ace would be a good fit for Ruben Amorim’s Red Devils
Football Insider opinion
Nkunku joined Chelsea after a stellar 2022-23 season with Leipzig, where he scored 23 goals in just 36 appearances across all competitions and registered seven assists.
The former RB Leipzig striker’s record in the Bundesliga alone with 16 goals and six assists from 25 matches established him as one of Europe’s most prolific forwards, known for his technical skill, versatility, and vision.
However, limited to just 30 appearances for Chelsea due to injury setbacks, he has only been able to show flashes of his best form this season with 10 goals in all competitions.
Man United’s potential pursuit of the French forward comes as the club grapples with an offensive slump which new boss Ruben Amorim will need to address. The team is currently the fifth-lowest scoring side in the Premier League, with only twelve goals this season.
Last season’s summer signing Rasmus Hojlund has managed just one goal in seven league appearances, and his fellow Red Devil’s striker Joshua Zirkzee has struggled for form with only one goal himself this season, leaving United desperately in need of a reliable scorer.
Nkunku, who is a proven source of goals, has sharp movement, creativity, and the ability to play across multiple attacking positions which could give United’s front line the fluidity it has lacked in recent months.
But it looks like someone is going to have to leave if there is to be cash available for anything in the near-future.
In other news, Chelsea have responded to a possible Aston Villa swoop for Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.
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