Real Madrid have reportedly ruled out the possibility of making a play for the signing of RB Leipzig and French forward Christopher Nkunku this summer.
According to journalist Tomas Gonzalez-Martin on El Debate, Real Madrid will not be pursuing the signing of RB Leipzig star Christopher Nkunku this summer but could return for him in 2023.
Nkunku has grown into one of the most coveted young players in Europe after his exploits with RB Leipzig. A product of the Paris Saint-Germain youth academy, he moved to Germany in the summer of 2019 in search of regular game-time. And the move has paid off handsomely for the youngster, who has enjoyed a tremendous rise in stature with the Saxony-based outfit.
Nkunku enjoyed his most prolific campaign in 2021/22, as he plundered 35 goals and set up 19 more in 50 matches across all competitions, helping Leipzig finish fourth in the Bundesliga and win the DFB-Pokal. His form over the past year earned the 24-year-old his first breakthrough with the French national team in March, with Nkunku featuring six times for Les Bleus since.
Nkunku, who is contracted with RB Leipzig until 2024, is attracting a flurry of interest from a whole host of clubs from Europe. The likes of Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain have all been linked.
Real Madrid, too, have been credited with an interest in Nkunku due to his versatility that would enable him to replace Luka Modric in midfield or play up top as cover for Karim Benzema. However, as per the report, the reigning Spanish and European champions are done with their transfer business this summer and are unlikely to go after Nkunku.
Real Madrid have made two signings so far, bringing in Antonio Rudiger from Chelsea on a Bosman deal before splashing around €100 million to land Aurelien Tchouameni from AS Monaco. On top of that, Los Blancos have also extended the contract of Luka Modric by another year, which means their midfield department is sorted for the upcoming season.
Furthermore, they are planning to rely on one of Borja Mayoral, Luka Jovic or Mariano Diaz as the backup for Karim Benzema, while Castilla forward Juanmi Latasa could also be given a more prominent role in the first-team setup. As a result, Real Madrid have decided not to pursue Nkunku, especially with RB Leipzig demanding a massive sum of €120 million for their prized asset.
However, the report mentions that Real Madrid could return for Nkunku next summer, which could be favourable as he will be entering the final year of his contract with the German giants, provided he does not leave the club this year itself. For now, though, Real Madrid have decided to call off their pursuit of Nkunku.