Newcastle United has already explored several attacking options during the final weeks of the transfer window, and Christopher Nkunku is increasingly looking like one of the more realistic possibilities available to Matthias Jaissle.
The Magpies had previously made enquiries regarding the AC Milan forward, with Calciomercato’s Daniele Longo reporting that Milan values Nkunku at around €35 million (£30 million).
Now, Newcastle has apparently been given the opportunity to make that interest more concrete.
According to Sky Sports’ Keith Downie, Milan has directly offered the former Chelsea attacker to Newcastle as the Serie A club attempts to facilitate his departure.
“I think Jaissle would probably be keen on (Nkunku) if he got the opportunity,” Downie said. My information there is that Newcastle have been offered him. I’ve not been told whether they’ve taken up that offer or they’re rejecting the offer, but he has been offered to Newcastle and he has been offered to a couple of other clubs, as well.“
There is also growing clarity regarding Newcastle’s competition after Foot Mercato’s Santi Aouna reported that the Magpies have emerged alongside two Bundesliga clubs at the front of the race for the Milan forward.
“Three-way battle for Christopher Nkunku,” Aouna reported. “Borussia Dortmund, Newcastle, and RB Leipzig are ahead of all other clubs to date.”
Aouna added that Nkunku is not considering moves outside Europe’s major leagues despite those being potential alternatives for the striker.
“Saudi Arabia and Turkey are not destinations considered by the player,” Aouna reported.
Leipzig could represent particularly significant competition given Nkunku’s history there. The Frenchman scored 70 goals in 172 appearances during four seasons with the German club before joining Chelsea in 2023.
Nkunku subsequently moved to Milan last summer, but his stay in Italy now appears likely to last only one season. Longo previously reported that Newcastle had contacted both Milan and the player’s representatives, while the Rossoneri had established €35 million as the “starting point” for negotiations.
Newcastle has yet to submit a formal proposal, according to the available reports, and Downie’s report specifically indicates that the Magpies still have a decision to make after being offered the chance to land Nkunku.
Ultimately, the fact that Milan has already pitched Nkunku directly to the Magpies, combined with Aouna placing Newcastle among the three current frontrunners, suggests the possibility remains firmly alive entering the final stretch of the window, and if nothing else, a break-in-case-of-emergency signing if NUFC cannot land any other player and still feels the need to add a striker.
Would you take Nkunku at around £30 million, or should Newcastle prioritize another attacker? Let us know in the comments section below.
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