Reports from England indicate that Mikel Arteta’s side is determined to pursue the signing of a key Chelsea player.
Christopher Nkunku has informed Chelsea of his desire to leave in the upcoming summer transfer window after attracting interest from both Arsenal and Bayern Munich.
The 27-year-old arrived at Stamford Bridge in 2023 following a £52 million transfer from RB Leipzig but struggled with injuries in his debut season, managing only 14 appearances.
Nkunku was expected to play a bigger role under new manager Enzo Maresca, but he has found it difficult to secure regular playing time, having started just nine Premier League matches this season.
Earlier in the month, reports from France suggested that Nkunku is already planning his next move and hopes to join a club competing in the Champions League.
Both Arsenal and Bayern Munich reportedly inquired about his availability during the January window and have maintained their interest heading into the summer.
According to CF Bayern Insider, Nkunku has now formally requested to leave Chelsea at the end of the season and aims to secure a transfer during the brief window between June 1 and June 10, which accounts for the Club World Cup.
The report further states that Chelsea set a €70m (£59.5m) price tag on Nkunku in January, which prevented Bayern from moving forward with their interest.
Recently, Nkunku was excluded from the squad for Chelsea’s 2-1 victory over Fulham on April 20 and remained on the bench for their 1-0 win at home against Everton.
In an exclusive interview with Metro, former Chelsea defender Frank Leboeuf urged the club to sell the French forward once the campaign concludes.
‘I think they need to cut their losses and go their separate ways,’ Leboeuf said.
‘It’s best for the club but also the future of the player. Careers are pretty short so you have to react quickly if it doesn’t work.
‘And it can happen like this – sometimes the chemistry doesn’t work. I was very happy to see him come to Chelsea, but it’s never worked. ‘He’s never been able to settle down, maybe because the position he’s been offered wasn’t the right one.
‘It’s always difficult to come from a family club like Leipzig to a club where you have to perform and the pressure is one you always. I had that when I moved from Strasbourg to Chelsea and it’s a big task if you’re not able to cope with the situation.
‘It’s never worked for him but he’s still a good player. He will have to rebound but we’ve seen that before with players like Kevin De Bruyne and Mohamed Salah when they left.’
