Chelsea forward Christopher Nkunku will not be joining Manchester United or Bayern Munich on transfer deadline day, according to a report.
The 27-year-old has been tipped to leave Stamford Bridge in this window having failed to gain regular first-team football under Enzo Maresca.
Nkunku, who joined Chelsea from Leipzig in 2023 for around of €60m, has started just three of his 19 Premier League appearances this season, with Nicolas Jackson preferred in attack and Cole Palmer ever-present in the number 10 role.
The Frenchman has excelled when called upon in other competitions, however, scoring 11 goals in just 10 appearances across the Conference League, FA Cup and EFL Cup.
Man United have been credited with an interest in Nkunku throughout the winter window, with Ruben Amorim believed to be keen to bolster his attacking options after allowing Marcus Rashford to join Aston Villa on loan.
Bayern Munich are another club who have been linked with Nkunku, and a proposed swap deal involving wantaway forward Mathys Tel has been mooted.
© Imago
Man Utd, Bayern-linked Nkunku set to stay at Chelsea?
However, according to Sky Deutschland reporter Florian Plettenberg, Nkunku is now expected to stay at Chelsea beyond the winter window.
"My last information from the last couple of hours is that he will stay at Chelsea that he will not join FC Bayern, that he will not join Manchester United," Plettenberg told Sky Sports.
The reasoning behind Nkunku's decision to stay at Chelsea remains unknown at present, but it could be related to the future of other first-team players including Joao Felix, who has been linked with an exit.
It is understood that both AC Milan and Aston Villa are interested in signing Felix, who is allegedly allowed to leave Chelsea on loan if an obligation to buy in the summer is agreed.
Carney Chukwuemeka, meanwhile, has travelled to Germany to undergo a medical ahead of joining Borussia Dortmund on loan with an option to buy.
With Nkunku set to stay at Chelsea, Man United may now consider stepping up their pursuit of Bayern forward Tel, who has already rejected a move to Tottenham Hotspur and is believed to be open to signing for the Red Devils.
Oliver Thomas
