November 11th 2024.
Today marks the official start of Ruben Amorim's tenure as manager of Manchester United. As the new boss settles in, the Red Devils have set their sights on signing Christopher Nkunku from Chelsea during the upcoming January transfer window.
Nkunku has been on fire this season, scoring 10 goals in just 17 appearances for the Blues. However, his playing time has been mostly limited to Europa League and Carabao Cup games. He has only started one Premier League match, way back in August on the opening day of the season.
This can be attributed to the depth of Enzo Maresca's squad, which has allowed him to rotate his players and field a completely different starting XI for midweek European games. Nkunku, along with Joao Felix and Mykhailo Mudryk, has mostly been restricted to these competitions. In the Premier League, Maresca has preferred Cole Palmer, Noni Madueke, Pedro Neto, and Nicolas Jackson in his attacking unit.
According to L'Equipe, Nkunku is not happy with this situation and is now considering his future at Stamford Bridge. Manchester United is one of the clubs interested in signing the former RB Leipzig star, as they look to strengthen their squad in January under their new manager Amorim.
United's lack of goals has been a major concern this season, with their 3-0 win over Leicester City on Sunday being only the second time they have scored more than two goals in a league game. L'Equipe also reports that Chelsea may be open to letting Nkunku leave in the upcoming transfer window. While Nkunku has not yet expressed his desire to leave, clubs like United have already started to inquire about his availability.
Nkunku has been a key player for Chelsea in the Europa Conference League this season, starting in every game and scoring six goals for the team. However, it seems that he had no intention of joining Chelsea in 2023 to be a backup option and play in Europe's third-best competition every week.
In Sunday's 1-1 draw with Arsenal, Nkunku only managed to come off the bench for the final two minutes, adding to his frustration with his lack of game time. He has only played a total of 154 minutes in the Premier League this season.
It remains to be seen if United will be able to secure Nkunku's signature in January, but as they continue to struggle with scoring goals, he could be a valuable addition to their attacking unit. As for Nkunku, it seems he may be ready for a new challenge and a chance to play more regularly at a top club like Manchester United.
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