Manchester United are reportedly set to battle it out with arch-rivals Manchester City and Chelsea for the signing of RB Leipzig midfielder Christopher Nkunku.
According to a report from Fichajes, Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United are set to go head-to-head in pursuit of RB Leipzig’s attacking midfielder Christopher Nkunku.
The 23-year-old is currently one of the most sought-after young midfielders in Europe after having developed brilliantly since moving to Leipzig from boyhood club Paris Saint-Germain in 2019. Nkunku has been in red-hot form in the ongoing campaign, in particular, plundering 11 goals and seven assists from just 17 games across all competitions.
Nkunku’s scintillating start to the campaign has put him on the radars of top clubs across Europe, with the likes of Real Madrid, Chelsea, Manchester City all wanting to sign him. Now, Manchester United have also entered the fray for signing the former French Under-21 international, the report mentioned above claims.
Manchester United have plenty of options in their attacking unit already. They strengthened their ranks with the signing of Jadon Sancho in the summer, while they already have Marcus Rashford, Bruno Fernandes, Mason Greenwood, Jesse Lingard, Amad Diallo, among others, competing for the three slots behind the centre-forward.
However, Lingard is in the final year of his contract and is linked with an exit. Furthermore, Diallo is likely to be sent out on loan as well to continue his development. As a result, another addition in the attacking midfield position wouldn’t be the worst idea, especially given their over-reliance on Fernandes to provide the creative influence.
Someone like Nkunku could, thus, be a viable option as he would provide depth across various positions in the final third. However, they will have to battle Chelsea for the signing of the 23-year-old midfielder. The Blues, like United, are well-stocked in the attacking midfield unit with Mason Mount, Kai Havertz, Christian Pulisic, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Hakim Ziyech.
In addition, Conor Gallagher will also be available at Thomas Tuchel’s disposal after his loan spell at Crystal Palace this season. However, Ziyech has struggled at Stamford Bridge and is being linked with an exit, while Pulisic has also been unable to make the impact that was expected of him. So, Nkunku could be a smart signing for the Blues as they look to continue their ascent to the top under Tuchel.
However, as things stand, both Chelsea and Manchester United could potentially be trailing Manchester City for the signing of the Frenchman. Reports have indicated that the Premier League champions have already opened talks to sign Nkunku.
With the futures of Raheem Sterling, Riyad Mahrez unsure, and Kevin De Bruyne entering his thirties Pep Guardiola & co. could do well to add someone like the ex-PSG man to future-proof the team. Apart from these clubs, there is also interest from Juventus, Arsenal and Bayern Munich. So, it remains to be seen where the 23-year-old Nkunku ends up come summer next year.
