Arsenal reportedly have Christopher Nkunku on their shortlist heading into the summer transfer window, with the Chelsea outcast expected to depart from Stamford Bridge at the end of the season, according to Football Insider.
The Blues coughed up £52 million to make the former RB Leipzig man one of the most expensive French players in Premier League history in 2023. However, his debut season was riddled with injuries, and he has struggled to leave his stamp on the Chelsea first-team since returning to full fitness.
Meanwhile, Arsenal are in the market for attacking reinforcements, and Nkunku is believed to be on their radar, though Chelsea would prefer to give clubs abroad a first look at their player.
Arsenal Eyeing Move for Chelsea Ace Nkunku
The Frenchman is expected to be on the move this summer
As per the report from Football Insider, Nkunku is "fully expected" to leave Chelsea this season and Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has the 27-year-old on his radar. Clubs in the Bundesliga are also interested, while a switch to France has also not been ruled out.
Landing Nkunku is unlikely to give Arsenal fans much optimism, particularly given the player's underwhelming record in the Premier League, his £300,000-per-week salary and the fact that signings from rivals Chelsea have been rather hit or miss in recent years.
Christopher Nkunku vs Kai Havertz vs Mikel Merino - 2024/25 Statistics comparison
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Appearances
Minutes Played
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Expected Goals
Shots per 90
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However, if Arteta is able to unlock the best potential out of Nkunku, he could prove to be a serious attacking threat. The ex-PSG attacking midfielder once tallied a remarkable 35 goals and 16 assists in all competitions in his best senior season during 2021/22.
That said, Arsenal are unlikely to make a move for Nkunku unless they miss out on other targets, and Chelsea are reluctant to sell to their rivals and would rather their man head overseas instead.
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Statistics courtesy of FBRef.com - Correct as of 11/05/2025