Former Manchester United manager Ralf Rangnick has sent a clear Chelsea warning to Christopher Nkunku alongside a subtle message for Julian Nagelsmann. The former RB Leipzig duo could be set for a reunion in the Premier League at Chelsea this summer, with Nkunku arriving on a pre-contract deal and Nagelsmann outlined as the favourite to become Chelsea's new manager.
While the move for Nkunku to the Blues is yet to be formally announced, football.london understands a deal to bring the 25-year-old to west London is already in place. The deal between Leipzig and Chelsea for Nkunku was finalised towards the end of 2022 which will see him join the club on July 1, 2023 in a deal worth over £50million.
Todd Boehly will certainly be hoping Nkunku can solve Chelsea's major attacking woes which have been very prominent this season. From 31 Premier League games, the Blues have managed 30 goals and from 21 outings in 2023 only 13 times has the back of the net been found.
READ MORE: Chelsea stance on Mauricio Pochettino revealed as Todd Boehly manager search continues
Back in Germany, Nkunku has endured a difficult season with injuries keeping him out of the World Cup for France. Despite missing months of this campaign, Nkunku has still managed to score 17 goals from 28 appearances.
For Nkunku there could still be key decisions to be made at Chelsea after his arrival and the biggest could be in regards to who becomes the next permanent manager. Nagelsmann is the favourite after impressing in an interview last Thursday and his appointment could see Nkunku reunite with the man he has already given a glowing verdict on.
"Thomas Tuchel used to ask a lot of me [at Paris Saint-Germain], but I didn't have enough time to do what he asked," Nkunku told German sports newspaper Bild of the former Chelsea boss during the peak of his rise in 2020.
"Julian Nagelsmann also expects a lot from me, and he's demanding about what I do in training and games. That's taken me further. He also talks a lot about tactics."
While Nkunku could be excited at the thought of working under the German coach, Rangnick has sent a clear warning to the attacker about the 'state' of Chelsea ahead of his move.
"I’m also thinking of a player whose arrival at RB Leipzig I was a little bit involved in: Christopher Nkunku," Rangnick told ZDF, as per BILD. "For me, one of the best attacking midfielders currently available and who, in my opinion, decided to move to Chelsea far too early.
"Can you imagine that such an outstanding player comes to a club that is in the state Chelsea are in at the moment? Personally, this hurts my heart. If I were his advisor or his father, I would be very worried right now."
Rangnick also looked to have sent a subtle warning to Nagelsmann that may lead him to think twice about possibly joining the club. He added: "At the moment, no matter who comes as a coach, you can’t really recommend anyone to go there. The very first thing to do is establish some sort of strategy and reduce the squad to a reasonable size that any coach can work with."
READ NEXT:
Reece James sends Antonio Rudiger three-word message on Chelsea return amid Vinicius Jr approval
Three steps Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali must take to win back Chelsea trust amid tough season
Next Chelsea manager already has nine huge problems on his plate after Champions League exit
What Eden Hazard did with Mason Mount and Reece James following Chelsea's loss to Real Madrid
What an emotional Thiago Silva did post-match as Ashley Cole loses it in Chelsea vs Real Madrid
