€60m Bundesliga star completes Chelsea medical as Blues lay foundations for 2023 swoop

Jason Soutar
Reported Chelsea target Chistopher Nkunku during a warm-up

RB Leipzig attacker Christopher Nkunku has reportedly undergone medical tests ahead of a €60million move to Chelsea next year.

The French international penned a fresh contract with his current team in the summer.

This ended any speculation over a move, however, he is expected to leave next year with a €60m release clause becoming active.

Interest is very high, with Manchester United and Chelsea believed to be keen.

It is no surprise to see teams chasing Nkunku’s signature given the last 12 months he has had.

Last term, the 24-year-old scored 35 goals across all competitions while notching a fairly decent 20 assists.

One of his best performances came on English soil in September when he scored a hat-trick in his side’s 6-3 defeat against Manchester City in the Champions League.

Nkunku has started 2022/23 relatively well. He has found the back of the net six times in 11 appearances so far.

In an unusual ploy to sign the Frenchman, Chelsea have already sorted some of the player’s medical checks ahead of a transfer to Stamford Bridge next year.

This is according to BILD correspondent Christian Falk.

He says Nkunku took part in medical checks in Frankfurt this month as Chelsea prepare to activate his €60m (£52.8m) release clause in 2023.

The original report from Falk has been backed up by Ben Jacobs and Matt Law of CBS Sports and the Telegraph respectively.

Jacobs wrote on Twitter: “As per BILD, I can confirm Christopher Nkunku underwent a medical in Frankfurt for Chelsea back in August. His release cause comes into force next summer. It’s set at £58.2m, which is actually below his current market value.”

Meanwhile, Law said: “Understand reports from Germany that RB Leipzig striker Christopher Nkunku has already undertaken a medical ahead of a proposed move to Chelsea next summer are accurate.”

Another attacker the Blues are reportedly interested in is AC Milan’s Rafael Leao.

Fittingly, Graham Potter’s side will host the Italian champions in the Champions League next week.

Before that, Chelsea travel to Selhurst Park to take on Crystal Palace in the Premier League.

Conor Gallagher may face his former club after spending last term on loan with the Eagles.

After a stuttery start to the season, it has been claimed by former England right-back Glen Johnson that the young midfielder should have spent another season away from Stamford Bridge.

“I don’t think in terms of leaving the club, but another season on loan for Gallagher would have been great for him,” Johnson told SafeBettingSites.

“Personally I would have liked him to carry on his development, he was clearly enjoying himself.

“I’d rather have Chelsea have let him go back out on loan and then re-evaluate the situation at the end of the season.”

Johnson also discussed Blues trio Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Mason Mount and Raheem Sterling.

“As long as he’s the Aubameyang of old and wants to be there, he’s proved that he is a goal machine when he’s happy,” he added.

“They’ve got a good player, it’s just more about where his head’s at.

“[Sterling has] not surprised me because I’ve always thought he’s capable of this, he doesn’t surprise me at all.

“The surprise is that Man City let him go to Chelsea. Sterling is capable of what he’s doing at the moment and you’d have to say he is their main man at the moment.

“[Mount] set the bar really high. He was pretty much the centre of everything that Chelsea did well last season. You don’t lose your class overnight.

“It’s just a little bit of confidence that’s missing, he’s still capable of top performances and I’m sure he’ll bounce back soon but he’s just not firing on all cylinders at the moment.”