Barcelona plotting Christopher Nkunku move

La Liga heavyweights Barcelona have reportedly joined the race to sign 24-year-old RB Leipzig attacker Christopher Nkunku this summer.

According to a report by French outlet Foot Mercato, Christopher Nkunku is the subject of interest from Barcelona over a possible move in the summer transfer window. The 24-year-old RB Leipzig attacker is also a target for former club Paris Saint-Germain.

Christopher Nkunku has transformed his career since joining RB Leipzig from Paris Saint-Germain in July 2019. The youngster blew hot and cold in his first two seasons with the Bundesliga club but has established himself as a pivotal figure for them in the ongoing campaign.

The 24-year-old has a remarkable record of 27 goals and 17 assists in 41 appearances across all competitions thus far this term. Nkunku’s exploits have not gone unnoticed, and some of the most high profile clubs in Europe, including Barcelona, have set their sights on him.

Barcelona will delve into the market for attacking reinforcements in the summer transfer window, with Xavi Hernandez poised to continue remodelling his squad. Several players could depart from Camp Nou after the 2021/22 season ends, with Martin Braithwaite, Luuk de Jong and Memphis Depay some of the candidates who might not be at the club by the time 2022/23 begins.

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Barcelona will thus need to invest in several attackers, although their limited budget could restrict them in the transfer market. Some of Barcelona’s key targets are Mohamed Salah, Erling Haaland, Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha. But Salah looks set to stay put at Liverpool, with Barcelona ruling out pursuing him.

Meanwhile, Haaland will likely join either Manchester City or Real Madrid, meaning Barcelona will have to draw up contingency plans for their primary targets. That is where Nkunku comes into the picture, with the 24-year-old RB Leipzig attacker a viable target for the Blaugrana.

But Barcelona will need to fend off stiff competition from Paris Saint-Germain to land Nkunku from the Bundesliga giants. The youngster is also a target for several Premier League clubs, like Arsenal, Liverpool, and Manchester United. So the race to sign him from RB Leipzig could heat up when the summer transfer window opens.