Chelsea respond as Man Utd target £52m star on transfer deadline day

Manchester United are looking into the anticipation of signing Chelsea guardant Christopher Nkunku connected transportation deadline day.

United’s request for attacking reinforcements was highlighted successful Sunday’s dismal decision to Crystal Palace arsenic Ruben Amorim opted against starting a recognised striker.

England midfielder Kobbie Mainoo was deployed arsenic a mendacious nine, with Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee – who outgo much than £100m combined – some named connected the bench.

Amorim’s attacking options volition beryllium chopped adjacent further by Marcus Rashford’s indebtedness determination to Aston Villa, though the 27-year-old has not featured successful good implicit a period since being frozen retired by the struggling Old Trafford.

Manchester United person been moving connected a woody for French guardant Mathys Tel successful caller days but talks with Bayern Munich person reportedly collapsed.

Tel, 19, was keen to articulation the Red Devils aft turning down a £50m determination to Tottenham but Bayern and United were incapable to hold terms.

That has led Manchester United, presently conscionable 12th successful the Premier League, to look astatine different options and revive their involvement successful Chelsea guardant Nkunku.

Chelsea spent much than £50m to motion Nkunku from RB Leipzig successful 2023 but the Frenchman has underwhelmed astatine Stamford Bridge.

He made conscionable 14 appearances during an injury-plagued archetypal play astatine Chelsea and has slipped down the pecking bid this word nether Enzo Maresca, starting conscionable 3 league games.

Nkunku is believed to beryllium keen connected a determination to get much playing time and was heavy linked with Bayern Munich earlier successful the window, though immoderate determination to the Allianz Arena would beryllium babelike connected Tel archetypal departing.

Manchester United person besides expressed involvement successful a woody and are pushing to motion the wantaway guardant connected deadline day, according to ESPN.

It is claimed Chelsea are unfastened to a deadline-day determination for Nkunku and could adjacent look to motion United winger Alejandro Garnacho arsenic portion of the deal.

Chelsea person been monitoring Garnacho’s concern implicit the past 2 weeks aft United indicated they would beryllium consenting to merchantability the academy graduate.

But Amorim recently suggested helium was keen to support the Argentina planetary astatine the club, having offered him an olive subdivision since leaving him retired of December’s Manchester derby – on with Rashford – for failing to conscionable his standards.

Several erstwhile Manchester United players person said it would beryllium a mistake to merchantability Garnacho and Gary Neville cannot spot the logic successful a swap woody with Nkunku.

The Old Trafford fable told NBC Sports: ‘I don’t get it for United. Nkunku’s hardly kicked a ball, helium evidently had the wounded erstwhile helium archetypal came successful but he’s struggled to get going astatine Chelsea.

‘I’m not saying Garnacho is the champion subordinate successful the satellite and that helium he needs to enactment astatine Manchester United. If they get bully wealth for him past good that mightiness work.”

‘But to swap him for Nkunku, I person to accidental that doesn’t consciousness similar I determination I would bash if I was Manchester United. I tin spot wherefore you would bash it if you were Chelsea.’

Nkunku scored 70 goals successful 172 appearances for his erstwhile nine RB Leipzig but has conscionable 5 successful 30 Premier League appearances for Chelsea.

For much stories similar this, check our athletics page.

Follow Metro Sport for the latest quality connected Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

MORE: Man Utd flop Antony reacts to MVP show connected Real Betis debut

MORE: Ben Chilwell secures Chelsea exit connected indebtedness to Premier League rivals

MORE: Ruben Amorim told Arsenal and Chelsea-linked prima would ‘definitely improve’ Man Utd