Chelsea have an agreement in place to acquire RB Leipzig forward Christopher Nkunku for €60 million in the summer, regardless of how their season ends. Graham Potter’s side currently sit tenth in the Premier League, 11 points adrift of the top-four. Their chances of finishing in the top four are far and bleak, with the only hope of a silverware being the Champions League trophy, which too seems quite unrealistic.
However, in the most recent instance of Chelsea’s outrageous transfer activity, Christopher Nkunku’s transfer to Stamford Bridge is finalised and will go through regardless of how the Blues finish in the Premier League this year. According to Sky Sports Germany, the Frenchman will unquestionably play for Chelsea from the 23/24 season.
No ‘exit option’ for Christopher Nkunku despite Chelsea struggles
Christopher Nkunku did sign a new contract with RB Leipzig in June 2022, extending his stay at the club until the summer of 2026, but speculations of a transfer to Chelsea started having a roll since late last year. And almost halfway through the 22/23 season, reports started to corroborate a deal was finalised between the Blues and the Frenchman.
According to Florian Plettenberg, the player’s ‘exit option’ has been removed from the deal, which will cost Chelsea about €60 million (£52 million/$64 million). An official announcement on Christopher Nkunku’s long-term contract with the Blues is probably going to happen at the end of the current campaign.
The 25-year-old will be joining a Chelsea roster that is already exceedingly crowded and that head coach Graham Potter has only recently started to gain control over. Mykhailo Mudryk, Noni Madueke, and Joao Felix were among the attacking players that the West Londoners acquired during the frenetic January transfer window. However, they now need to find a way to create room for Nkunku’s upcoming arrival as well.
Summer departures are anticipated at Stamford Bridge, with Mason Mount delaying in signing a new contract. Yet, despite those departures, Chelsea have been linked with making Felix’s loan a permanent one from Atletico Madrid. This would just increase Potter’s headaches for the upcoming season, though it would be a welcome one.
Despite dealing with injuries, Christopher Nkunku has had a good season so far, scoring 17 goals from 27 games across all competitions. Yet, Chelsea are still frantically looking for a means to escape the Premier League’s mid-table, while Nkunku and RB Leipzig appear to be good for a place in the Champions League next season. The former Paris Saint-Germain player put himself on the radar of the elite clubs across the globe last season with his most productive season, scoring 35 goals and dishing out 20 assists in 52 matches.