Chelsea 'could be the first club to bid for £50m Christopher Nkunku this summer'

  /  autty

Chelsea could be set to become the first club to bid for the highly rated Frenchman Christopher Nkunku.

Nkunku, 24, is thought to be one of the most sought-after players on the planet this summer as Europe's giants will look to test the resolve of RB Leipzig.

According to French publication L'Equipe, Chelsea could be the first club to bid for the forward, with the west London outfit having been reported long-term admirers of the player.

Chelsea's new owner, Todd Boehly, will reportedly provide Thomas Tuchel with a significant amount of money to rebuild his squad this summer. The club are believed to want to reinforce their forward options following Romelu Lukaku's much-publicised troubles this season.

Nkunku would represent a coup for the club, with the player having registered 20 goals and 15 assists in the league for RB Leipzig this season. His involvement in the creative aspect of the game chimes with how Tuchel expects his forwards to play.

Chelsea, however, are unlikely to have a free run at the player.

Manchester United, L'Equipe also suggest, are said to be interested in the player. Interestingly, Newcastle, spurred on by their Saudi Public Investment Fund backers, are said to have an interest in the forward, although it is reported that they would currently not be Nkunku's first choice destination.

Despite this, RB Leipzig are said to have no intention of selling their prized asset this summer and, with two years left on his current deal, it would seemingly take a sizeable offer to prize him away from the German club.

The Frenchman's impressive season was capped off earlier this month by a crucial equaliser in the DFB Pokal final against Freiburg. The game eventually went to penalties are a 1-1 deadlock, with RB Leipzig prevailing 4-2.

Nkunku, who has been subject to interest from Europe's top clubs for a long while, including a potential move back to his boyhood club Paris Saint Germain, told reporters ahead of France's Nations League clash that the speculation surrounding his future was 'flattering'.

‘Paris, I’ve always said it, it’s my home, my heart club,’ the forward said.

He added: ‘I don’t close any doors. Everything is possible in football.

‘It’s flattering to have the biggest clubs in the world interested in me. But it’s also flattering that Leipzig is doing everything to keep me.

‘We are in June, and I am focused on this gathering.’

Related: Chelsea RB Leipzig Tuchel Nkunku
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