Christopher Nkunku has reportedly signalled he is “ready to leave Chelsea in January” due to a lack of first-team opportunities under Enzo Maresca, which could have a domino effect in the transfer market this winter for Manchester United.
Graeme Bailey (TBR Football) reveals the French international has grown increasingly frustrated with his playing time amid the sea of forwards at Stamford Bridge.
And while Nkunku had previously been “determined to battle for his place”, Bailey contends it has now “become clear that the 27-year-old is far from being a regular”.
The report indicates Nkunku’s representatives are “actively looking into options” away from Chelsea with a January exit increasingly likely. A loan deal is the most realistic option, though the London club would need a purchase option included to sanction the move.
United have previously been linked with Nkunku with a report relayed by The Peoples Person in October revealing Old Trafford officials were interested in a potential loan move this season and made enquiries as such.
The 27-year-old’s combination of technical skill and dribbling ability make him an ideal candidate for the LAM role in Ruben Amorim’s 3-4-3 system.
United’s new head coach is yet to find the perfect candidate for this role from the existing squad, with Bruno Fernandes often deployed deeper, while Alejandro Garnacho and Marcus Rashford lack the requisite ball control to play effectively in tight spaces.
Furthermore, both wingers were dropped last weekend for the Manchester Derby with Amorim revealing it was a decision based on merit and performance in training, rather than a disciplinary measure.
However, two days later, Rashford gave a candid interview in which he revealed he was “ready for a new challenge”, away from Old Trafford. It represented a bombshell moment for the English forward with an exit from his boyhood club suggested as early as the January transfer window.
As such, United may be in the market for a forward player more suited to Amorim’s system to replace an outbound one, with Nkunku ticking a lot of boxes for the Portuguese coach.
However, the Red Devils will face fierce competition for the 27-year-old with a host of clubs across Europe, and the Saudi Pro League, expressing an interest in the Chelsea man.
Bailey reveals Paris Saint-Germain are keen on pursuing the French forward, who previously played for the Ligue 1 champions and would be open to a return to Paris under Luis Enrique.
PSG would likely need to shift unwanted forward Randal Kolo-Muani to make space for Nkunku, however. And, in a twist to the tale, United also hold a long-standing interest in Kolo-Muani who they considered signing in the summer of 2023.
The French club are open to Kolo-Muani’s departure in January as Enqriue has made it clear the French international will not feature in his plans moving forward. And with United in desperate need of more goals in the front line, a loan move may make sense.
It appears a case of a French forward being high on the Red Devils’ shopping list this winter; whether that ends up being Nkunku or Kolo-Muani remans to be seen, but it is increasingly likely both players will be on the move in January.
Feature image Mike Hewitt via Getty Images
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Darragh Fox
Darragh is a writer for The Peoples Person who spent three years as a history graduate slowly realising football was by far the most interesting thing to write about.
