Manchester United have been speaking to the entourage of Chelsea forward Christopher Nkunku, according to reports in France.
The 27-year-old is expected to leave Stamford Bridge this summer, despite being called up for the Club World Cup, and L’Equipe claim that United have held “initial talks” with his representatives about a potential switch to Old Trafford.
At the moment, there is no indication as to whether the Red Devils will follow up these discussions with a formal bid for Nkunku.
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The Manchester club are currently focused on securing the signature of Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo so approaches for other players may come at a later date.
Why are Man United interested in the player?
As supporters will be well aware, head coach Ruben Amorim likes to have two ‘inside 10s’ playing either side of a lone striker.
One of those positions will be filled by Matheus Cunha, while Mbeumo may be deployed on the opposite side to the Brazilian if he does end up making the move to United.
Nkunku would be another option for these two positions. It’s a role he thrived in during his time at RB Leipzig, so you can understand why Amorim and Director of Football Jason Wilcox have identified him as a possible target.
Chelsea have struggled to get the best out of Nkunku
It is fair to say that the Frenchman’s time at Stamford Bridge has largely been a disappointment. He struggled for fitness during his first twelve months and he hasn’t been able to establish himself since then.
One of the important factors that has led to Nkunku failing to hit the heights he showed in Germany is the positions he has played in. Last season, Maresca used him as a striker and a left winger, and he found life tough. It could be a different story if he is asked to play in United’s 3-4-2-1 system.
In other news, Man United are weighing up a move for a Real Madrid player