Arsenal, Man Utd and Liverpool part of '6-way transfer race for Chelsea star'

Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool are set to face off in a transfer battle in this summer's window, with a £52million Chelsea star the subject of heavy interest

Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool are all interested in signing Chelsea flop Christopher Nkunku this summer. Nkunku moved to Stamford Bridge in a £52million deal from RB Leipzig two years ago.

His debut season was ruined by a serious knee injury he suffered in August 2023. While he has also missed 10 games this term with injury problems, Nkunku has also struggled to convince boss Enzo Maresca.

The Frenchman has started just nine Premier League games, scoring only three goals. With Maresca mainly using him as part of the second string squad that featured in the cup competitions, a future for the attacker at the Blues is difficult to see.

As a result, the 27-year-old is set to push for an exit from Stamford Bridge once the summer window opens. Nkunku had built a solid reputation at Leipzig after coming through the ranks at Paris Saint-Germain.

He does still have four years remaining on his contract with Chelsea though. And the Blues will likely look to recoup as much of the £52m they paid Leipzig for him as they can.

Despite those terms, The Sun report that a six-way transfer battle is emerging for the attacker. Arsenal are said to be among the clubs lining up a move for Nkunku, with the Gunners 'desperate' to boost their attacking options.

Boss Mikel Arteta sees Nkunku as a 'good option' to add to his squad, personally greenlighting the chase. But they also face competition from United, who tried to sign him in January.

The Red Devils are gearing up to resurrect their interest in the summer, with Ruben Amorim a 'huge admirer'. Amorim believes that Nkunku's Premier League experience would make him a 'superb option' despite his struggles.

Liverpool are the third team keeping tabs on the Chelsea man, with the Reds rating his versatility. A fourth Premier League team are interested, with West Ham plotting an ambitious raid on the Blues as they undergo a major rebuild.

The quartet will have to fend off competition from Europe, with Nkunku's former team PSG hoping to bring him back to the Parc des Princes. The French champions are said to be 'big admirers' of the attacker.

They believe he could be the 'perfect addition' to Luis Enrique's squad, which has at times struggled without a figurehead attacker. The final club in the race is La Liga's Atletico Madrid amid mounting uncertainty over the future of Julian Alvarez.

If Alvarez does depart then Nkunku is their first choice to replace him. The Frenchman is understood to prefer joining a club which has qualified for the Champions League, boosting Arsenal, Liverpool, PSG and Atletico's hopes.

For their part, Chelsea would rather see Nkunku move abroard, with boss Maresca aware of his abilities. The Italian is concerned that selling him to a Premier League rival could be risky.

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