Christopher Nkunku and Julian Nagelsmann, who could be set for a reunion at the Blues this summer, have been sent a major Chelsea warning
Former Manchester United manager Ralf Rangnick has sent a clear Chelsea warning to Christopher Nkunku alongside a subtle message for Julian Nagelsmann. The former RB Leipzig duo could be set for a reunion in the Premier League at Chelsea this summer, with Nkunku arriving on a pre-contract deal and Nagelsmann outlined as the favourite to become Chelsea's new manager.
Todd Boehly will certainly be hoping Nkunku can solve Chelsea's major attacking woes which have been very prominent this season. From 31 Premier League games, the Blues have managed 30 goals and from 21 outings in 2023 only 13 times has the back of the net been found.
Back in Germany, Nkunku has endured a difficult season with injuries keeping him out of the World Cup for France. Despite missing months of this campaign, Nkunku has still managed to score 17 goals from 28 appearances.
"Thomas Tuchel used to ask a lot of me [at Paris Saint-Germain], but I didn't have enough time to do what he asked," Nkunku told German sports newspaper Bild of the former Chelsea boss during the peak of his rise in 2020.
"Julian Nagelsmann also expects a lot from me, and he's demanding about what I do in training and games. That's taken me further. He also talks a lot about tactics."
While Nkunku could be excited at the thought of working under the German coach, Rangnick has sent a clear warning to the attacker about the 'state' of Chelsea ahead of his move.
"I’m also thinking of a player whose arrival at RB Leipzig I was a little bit involved in: Christopher Nkunku," Rangnick told ZDF, as per BILD. "For me, one of the best attacking midfielders currently available and who, in my opinion, decided to move to Chelsea far too early.
"Can you imagine that such an outstanding player comes to a club that is in the state Chelsea are in at the moment? Personally, this hurts my heart. If I were his advisor or his father, I would be very worried right now."
Rangnick also looked to have sent a subtle warning to Nagelsmann that may lead him to think twice about possibly joining the club. He added: "At the moment, no matter who comes as a coach, you can’t really recommend anyone to go there. The very first thing to do is establish some sort of strategy and reduce the squad to a reasonable size that any coach can work with."