Exclusive: Chelsea star pushing for January transfer away, Arsenal seen as opportunity

Posted Tuesday, December 31, 2024 by Caughtoffside.com

Exclusive: Chelsea star pushing for January transfer away, Arsenal seen as opportunity
Christopher Nkunku and Mikel Arteta (Photo by Alex Grimm, Julian Finney/Getty Images)

Christopher Nkunku remains eager to leave Chelsea in the forthcoming January transfer window, sources have told CaughtOffside.

The French attacker has been delegated a role in the club’s ‘B Team’ this campaign, leaving him frustrated. He has only featured in 326 minutes of Premier League action so far this season and instead played a starring role in the club’s domestic competitions and the Conference League.

It is understood that Nkunku’s representatives are currently exploring potential destinations for the 27-year-old, while Chelsea will not stand in the way of any player who does not wish to remain at Stamford Bridge.

CaughtOffside understands that Arsenal are one of the clubs on Nkunku’s radar as part of a potential deal, while another is thought to be Paris Saint-Germain. Nkunku, a graduate of Les Parisiens’ academy, signed his first professional contract with the club before moving to RB Leipzig in 2019 for £10.5 million.

A spot at the Parc des Princes could also be vacant, too, as PSG are currently looking to move on Randal Kolo Muani after Luis Enrique made it clear the striker is not in his plans going forward.

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca addressed Nkunku’s future in a press conference earlier this month, stating: “We like Christo and we want him here, and there will always be players who are not happy. I am not sure if that will be Christo’s case. We want to keep him here because we are happy with him.

“We aren’t thinking about players who want to leave. We are not thinking that this or that player has to leave. We are just thinking about how to win games. If they knock on the door and they want to leave, I’m not going to say: ‘No, no, you have to stay here, 100%.’

“If they want to leave, the best thing for everyone is that the players who aren’t happy move on.”