Chelsea sign prolific Leipzig striker on £53m deal as pressure mounts on Graham Potter
Chelsea have completed the signing of highly-rated RB Leipzig forward Christopher Nkunku, but Graham Potter will have to wait until next season to have the Frenchman at his disposal.
Nkunku has been linked with a move to Stamford Bridge for some time, but the player has now officially agreed terms to join the Blues.
With the £53m deal confirmed, the 25-year-old will have plenty to offer to his new club once he completes the switch from Germany to West London.
The French international, who was ruled out of the World Cup after picking up a training injury in the run-up to the competition, netted 20 times in 34 outings for Leipzig, also contributing 15 assists.
This season, Nkunku has continued his prolific Bundesliga form, scoring 12 goals in 15 matches so far.
Nkunku is quick, versatile and exciting to watch. With the ability to play as a centre-forward, a false nine or an attacking midfielder, the Frenchman is excellent with the ball at his feet and can score from inside or outside the box.
The Frenchman also has plenty of Champions League experience under his belt already. In six appearances in the competition this season, Nkunku has netted three times and made one assist, including a goal in a nail-biting 3-2 victory over Real Madrid.
Will next season be too late for Graham Potter?
As for Chelsea, they are in desperate need of attacking reinforcements.
Armando Broja is ruled out until the end of the season with a knee injury, making Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang the only out-and-out centre-forward at the club.
Kai Havertz is capable of filling in as a false nine if needed, but the lack of striker options could prove to be an issue for Potter, who is currently third-favourite to be the next Premier League manager sacked this season.
Chelsea currently sit eighth in the Premier League after losing three games on the bounce. If the former Brighton boss wants to remain in post long enough to see Nkunku play for Chelsea, he needs to turn around the Blues’ underwhelming campaign quickly.
So, Potter will have to make do with Havertz and Aubameyang for now, unless, of course, they sign another centre-forward in January.
With that in mind, Chelsea are reportedly the favourites to sign Borussia Dortmund wonderkid striker Youssoufa Moukoko, according to TEAMtalk.
The 18-year-old has scored six goals in 14 appearances for Dortmund this season, so could definitely be a good option as a back-up to Aubameyang this season and as an excellent long-term investment.
As for Nkunku, the 25-year-old could also be someone who could lead the Chelsea line for the foreseeable future and his value will sky-rocket if he continues his prolific form in the Premier League.
Chelsea had to fight off competition from the likes of Manchester United and Liverpool for the Leipzig forward, so it will be interesting to see how he performs for Chelsea in the Premier League in 2023/24.
However, whether that will be with Graham Potter at the helm remains to be seen.
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