Arsenal are ready to splash £100 million to sign RB Leipzig superstar Christopher Nkunku, who is also on the radars of Liverpool and Manchester United.
According to Independent’s Miguel Delaney, Arsenal are prepared to get their chequebook out this summer as they look to sign RB Leipzig attacking midfielder Christopher Nkunku. The French international is also on the shopping list of the Gunners’ Premier League rivals, Liverpool and Manchester United.
A product of the Paris Saint-Germain youth setup, Nkunku left the French giants for RB Leipzig in 2019 in search of regular game-time. And the move has paid off big time for the 24-year-old, who has developed into one of the most exciting attacking midfielders in Europe over the past three years.
Nkunku enjoyed his best-ever campaign in 2021/22, as he amassed 35 goals and 19 assists from 50 appearances in all competitions. He was named the Bundesliga Player of the Season, while he also broke into the France national team earlier this year. Nkunku’s rise to superstardom has led to serious interest from top clubs across Europe, with Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United among the clubs keen.
Primarily an attacking midfielder, Nkunku has shown great adaptability and versatility during his time in Leipzig. The Frenchman has often played out wide and excelled, but showcased a whole new side to his game this past season when deployed as a centre-forward or a secondary striker. His displays in the No. 9 position have led to Arsenal taking a keen interest in the Leipzig star.
Arsenal lost Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang last January to Barcelona, while they also saw Alexandre Lacazette return to Olympique Lyon on a free transfer. Eddie Nketiah’s contract expires at the end of the month, although the Gunners are negotiating a deal with the academy product to prolong his stay. Despite that, they are left short on quality and quantity upfront, something Mikel Arteta wishes to address.
Gabriel Jesus looked set to join Arsenal, but things have slowed down on that front with other clubs joining them in the race. And with a bid for Victor Osimhen getting rejected, they are now seriously looking at Nkunku as an option to strengthen their attack. The 24-year-old can be an option in the centre-forward role, while he could also replace the exit-bound Nicolas Pepe and add depth out wide.
While Liverpool also held an interest in Nkunku, the report states that the Reds are unlikely to pursue the former PSG ace now that they have signed Darwin Nunez from SL Benfica to bolster their ranks.
Manchester United are another club interested in signing Nkunku as they seek to add more quality across their attacking unit. The 24-year-old could act as cover to Cristiano Ronaldo up top while also providing an option out wide ahead of Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho, who endured poor seasons.
RB Leipzig have slapped a steep asking price on Nkunku. And Arsenal are prepared to pay up to £100 million for him. Meanwhile, Manchester United are unwilling to shell out the sum as they are operating on a budget of £120 million before player sales. But PSG are also in the fray to sign their former prospect and are ready to go big. So, it will be interesting to see if Arsenal get their hands on Nkunku this summer.