RB Leipzig sporting director Max Eberl remained coy when he was asked if Christopher Nkunku will join Chelsea following the DFB-Pokal final. The 25-year-old forward is said to have signed a pre-contract agreement to join the Blues this summer, but some details need to be addressed first before his move can be confirmed.
football.london understands that the west Londoners have been sending scouts to watch Nkunku over the last couple of years, and they've been very impressed. Despite having missed two months of the season, the RB Leipzig star managed to get his hands on the Bundesliga golden boot along with Niclas Fullkrug, scoring 16 goals.
It's believed that Chelsea have already paid the £53million release clause in the France international's contract, which becomes active this summer. It's believed that Nkunku is keen on a move to Stamford Bridge and he was impressed with how the Blues conducted negotiations.
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While the summer transfer window opens at the end of this month, neither club have confirmed, nor denied, where the Frenchman will be playing his football next season. In January, Eberl suggested that Nkunku will join Chelsea. He told BILD: "The signs are very, very clear that he's moving to Chelsea."
Then, following the DFB-Pokal final, which saw Nkunku grab a goal and an assist, Eberl was asked again if the forward will join the Blues. As quoted by Sky Sports Germany, he replied: "He could be."
Chelsea are said to be in the market for new striker this summer. And, according to The Guardian, they're 'determined' to not rush their search for a talisman because they believe that Nkunku could do a sufficient job at leading the line.
The report states that the general feeling at Cobham is that the team can all chip in with goals, though that hasn't exactly worked with Kai Havertz in the past. Nkunku has flourished in a free-role at the Red Bull Arena over the years, operating as a centre-forward, attacking midfielder and sometimes as a winger.
While his versatility in the final third is a huge bonus, there are concerns that he's 'position-less' and needs a license to roam. In an interview with Football Manager earlier this year, Nkunku settled the debate once and for all.
He was told that 28 per cent of FM players deploy him as an attacking midfielder. When quizzed on the statistic, Nkunku replied: "I think that's a position that suits me well. Close to the goal behind a striker. That describes me as a player nicely so I always like playing in this role."
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