Manchester United will reportedly face fierce competition in January if they wish to sign Chelsea forward Christopher Nkunku.
After his first season at Stamford Bridge was hampered by injury, the France international has been eager to make an impression under Enzo Maresca.
That has occurred during cup competitions, with Nkunku having contributed nine goals from his seven appearances in the EFL Cup and Conference League.
However, the 27-year-old has been provided with just one start and 163 minutes of action in the Premier League, with that including a 58-minute outing against Manchester City on the opening weekend of the season.
Speculation has now emerged that the versatile attacker is becoming increasingly frustrated about his situation at Chelsea having effectively become established as backup to Nicolas Jackson.
With Nkunku possessing a contract until 2029, Chelsea will feel in a strong position with regards to his future, yet proposals are expected to come the way of the playmaker at the turn of the year.
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Bundesliga return a possibility?
In recent weeks, it has been suggested that Nkunku has been identified as a target by new head coach Ruben Amorim, who would have the option of using him as one of his two attacking midfielders or as a centre-forward.
Whether United would be able to negotiate a deal with Chelsea remains to be seen, particularly if United experience an upturn in fortunes under the Portuguese.
Nevertheless, according to TEAMtalk, the Red Devils could face competition from Borussia Dortmund should Chelsea be open to negotiating a deal.
The report suggests that a temporary switch to Dortmund is a more realistic option than United winning the race for his signature.
Nkunku enjoyed the best stint of his career while playing in Germany, contributing 70 goals and 56 assists from his 172 appearances for RB Leipzig.
Furthermore, Chelsea have history of negotiating mid-season loan deals with Dortmund having allowed Ian Maatsen to move to Westfalenstadion in January 2024, a deal that proved beneficial to all concerned.
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What will be the stance of Maresca?
Although decisions are generally taken above the head coach's role at Chelsea, Maresca is highly likely to fight his case to keep Nkunku.
Even given the vast amount of substitute outings made by the player, he still has 13 goals and one assist from 32 outings in a Chelsea shirt.
With Chelsea having ambitions to finish in the top four in the Premier League, win the Conference League and also participate in next summer's Club World Cup, they will need as many players as possible.
The upcoming schedule may also dictate that Jackson does not start every Premier League fixture, realistically giving Nkunku his chance to stake a claim for more opportunities.
Darren Plant
