Chelsea will find themselves under pressure to conclude a deal for Christopher Nkunku with Real Madrid interested.
The Lowdown: Nkunku interest
The Blues are long-term admirers of the RB Leipzig star but were priced out of a deal to bring the Frenchman to Stamford Bridge in the summer, with the Bundesliga outfit demanding €100m (£87.6m).
According to The Athletic in October, owner Todd Boehly had agreed a fee in advance to secure the gem who’s scored 11 goals in 13 Bundesliga outings this season, even saying that the 24-year-old had signed a pre-contract agreement and completed a medical.
However, a new development has occurred in the saga that will be a problem for the Blues’ pursuit.
The Latest: Real Madrid
There aren’t many footballers who would say no to Real Madrid and according to El Nacional, Nkunku is one of them.
They report that the Frenchman is willing to wait for a move to Los Blancos, with Madrid his preferred destination and a €60m (£52.8m) price tag well within their means.
The report also confirms PSG are interested in bringing back their former youngster who they let leave for €15m (£13.2m) in 2019, but it’s thought not to be the player’s desired destination.
The Verdict: Boehly must act
Nkunku has everything needed to be one of the world’s best attackers, providing an astonishing 73 goal involvements since the start of the 2021/22 season.
Once dubbed as “very exciting” by Steven Warnock, the eight-capped French international really borders on world-class, being in the top 3% for non-penalty goals with 0.67 per 90 and the top 4% for shot-creating actions with 4.34 per 90, solidifying his rise as one of the best forwards on the planet.
He’d be a vast improvement as well on Kai Havertz who only averages 0.38 non-penalty goals and 2.65 shot-creating actions per 90, with his price tag set at a bargain £53m, Boehly must do everything he can to get this one over the line.
