The rumours about potential Manchester United interest in Christopher Nkunku aren’t going anywhere. In fact, if anything they’re growing more intense.
The germ in the story comes from the fact that Nkunku isn’t playing regularly in Chelsea’s first team – in fact he has played 90 minutes just twice all season, has just one Premier League start, and has seen the bulk of his 17 appearances have in the Conference League and the EFL Cup.
He’s been very polite about it publicly, and hasn’t made a fuss. But after a year spent mostly out injured, some impatience is understandable, and clearly he’s keen to move on if playing at Chelsea isn’t an option.
Nkunku chatter reaches boiling point with former chief scout quotes
The chatter has continued for a while, but now it’s reaching boiling point. We’re starting to get word from real authorities on the matter, like former Man U chief scout Mick Brown.
He spoke exclusively to Football Insider, claiming that “from what I hear, Man United are certainly interested.
“I’m told he’s on their list of targets and one they could look to snap up either in January or the summer.
“The situation [Chelsea] are in now is difficult for him. It’s starting to cause problems for them, because players as good as he is want to be playing every week, not just rotated for cup competitions.“
A January move seems preposterous, unless United really shock the footballing world with a bid that matches the £60m or so Chelsea paid Leipzig for him. But next summer, if nothing changes, it feels inevitable that Nkunku moves on.
Still, that leaves a lot of football left to be played, and you’d be crazy to count out the Frenchman making himself a key player for Enzo’s first team by July.