Chelsea star Christopher Nkunku is on course to head through the Stamford Bridge exit door when the transfer window reopens in the summer after he has been unable to rediscover his best form despite being given extended opportunities during Nicolas Jackson's spell out through injury, GIVEMESPORT sources have revealed.
Although the Blues forked out £52million in order to lure the forward away from Bundesliga side RB Leipzig in June 2023, he has faced difficulties when attempting to convince head coach Enzo Maresca and predecessor Mauricio Pochettino that he deserves to be among the first names on the team sheet.
The west Londoners are in line to have Dario Essugo join ahead of next season, having agreed a deal worth £18.7million with Portuguese heavyweights Sporting a matter of days after also rubber-stamping the acquisition of teammate Geovany Quenda, but Chelsea are preparing to make further alterations to their squad in the coming months.
Nkunku Expected to Seal Stamford Bridge Exit
France international looking to rediscover best form elsewhere
Christopher Nkunku in action for Chelsea
Nkunku is increasingly likely to leave Chelsea in the summer, according to GMS sources, as there is a growing feeling that he needs to embark on a fresh challenge in a different environment if he wants to recapture his top form after struggling to get to grips with the rigours of the Premier League.
Although the Blues were prepared to sell the 27-year-old for a fee in the region of £60million when he showed a willingness to seal a move to admirers Bayern Munich during the winter transfer window, he ended up remaining in west London after a switch to the Allianz Arena failed to come to fruition.
GMS sources have been informed that Chelsea viewed the second half of the season as a final chance for Nkunku to turn his Stamford Bridge career around as he would get more game time in Jackson's absence, but he has failed to impress and is in line to be put on the market in the coming months.
Christopher Nkunku's Premier League statistics for Chelsea this season
The capital club are in a strong negotiating position ahead of interested parties having an opportunity to test their resolve as the France international still has four years remaining on a contract which allows him to pocket £195,000-per-week, but they are poised to listen to offers which come close to their valuation.
Nkunku made an unexpected U-turn and insisted that he wanted to attempt to fight for his Chelsea future when it was initially anticipated that he would be given the green-light to depart in January, GMS sources have learned, but he has come to terms with the fact that his struggles in the final third of the pitch have continued.
Nkunku Now Assessing Potential Destinations
Forward wants to find club which would play to his strengths
Christopher Nkunku celebrating after scoring for Chelsea
GMS sources have been told that Nkunku is already assessing potential destinations ahead of next season, and he remains desperate to find a club which utilises a playing style that is more accommodating to his strengths after being unable to find the ideal role in the system at Chelsea.
The former Paris Saint-Germain attacker, who has been described as 'perfect' by Blues chief Maresca, has been key in the west Londoners reaching the latter stages of the UEFA Conference League but has failed to take that form into domestic action when given opportunities this season.
Nkunku and influential figures at Chelsea have doubts over whether he will ever find an ideal role in his current surroundings, GMS sources understand, resulting in it being more likely than ever that he will find himself plying his trade elsewhere by the time the 2025/26 campaign gets underway.
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GMS sources recently revealed that Manchester United made a late attempt to offer the three-time Ligue 1 title-winner a temporary route out of Stamford Bridge, when they lodged a loan offer in the final days of the winter transfer window, but the proposal was snubbed by the Blues.
All statistics courtesy of Sofascore - correct as of 21/03/2025
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