Christopher Nkunku Completes Move to Chelsea: Contract Details, Transfer Fee, Shirt Number, and Position Revealed for New Blues Signing
Chelsea appears to be sticking to their transfer policy ahead of the 2023/24 Premier League season, with Christopher Nkunuku coming from RB Leipzig.
Since the beginning of 2023, Nkunku has been extensively connected with a move to Stamford Bridge, with speculations of a deal being finalized in January, and his switch has finally been completed.
The 25-year-old becomes the first signing of the Mauricio Pochettino era, with the Argentinian hoping to make a good impression in his debut season back in England.
More fresh names are expected to join Nkunku in the coming weeks as club owner Todd Boehly prepares to support Pochettino’s squad overhaul.
Chelsea transfer fee for Christopher Nkunku
Chelsea have spent astronomical sums since Boehly took over the club in May 2022, breaking records in the summer and winter transfer windows in 2022/23.
Thomas Tuchel’s estimated £240 million/$307 million spend last summer shattered the previous total Premier League record for a single transfer window. Graham Potter’s £281 million/$360 million January spend broke new ground.
Pochettino is unlikely to spend as much as his predecessors, but according to BBC Sport, a deal to buy Nkunku includes a transfer cost of £52 million/$66.4 million.
Nukunku, Christopher Chelsea agreement
Chelsea have confirmed their commitment to Nkunku, with a six-year contract through the conclusion of the 2027/28 season agreed upon.
“I am incredibly happy to be joining Chelsea”, Nkunku said in his first interview with the club.
“A big effort was made to bring me to the club and I’m looking forward to meeting my new coach and teammates and showing the Chelsea supporters what I can do on the pitch.”
Christopher Nkunku’s Chelsea shirt number Nkunku has worn the No.18 shirt for RB Leipzig for the last four seasons after moving to Germany from Paris Saint-Germain.
@chelseafc Nkunku is a Blue! 🔵 #nkunku #chelsea #cfc ♬ original sound – Chelsea FC
Armando Broja, Chelsea’s current No.18, did not make a single appearance last season after returning from a loan spell at Southampton in 2021/22.
Nkunku’s first desire would be to keep his preferred number, with Chelsea willing to either reassign Broja a new number or sell the Albania international.
If Nknuku is unable to retain his No.18 position, he could replace N’Golo Kante at No.7.
Christopher Nkunku represents which country?
Nkunku is a France international who has 10 international caps for Didier Deschamps’ side, although he was unable to make the 2022 World Cup roster due to injury.
Chelsea’s new signing is from the same commune in east Paris as Paul Pogba, Lagny-sur-Marne, and has represented France at four junior levels before making his senior debut in 2022.
Christopher Chelsea’s first appearance
Nkunku will join Pochettino’s squad for their whole preseason training after Chelsea completed an early summer agreement for him. His contract will technically begin on July 1.
With preseason training set to begin in early July, Nkunku is expected to be included on Chelsea’s USA tour, with a possible debut against Ryan Reynolds’ Wrexham on July 19 in North Carolina.
@433 Coming soon to the Premier League 🔥👀 @Bundesliga @c.nkunku #433 #chelsea #premierleague #nkunku #fypage ♬ origineel geluid – 433
Chelsea’s position for Christopher Nkunku
Nkunku possesses exceptional tactical and positional versatility, which Pochettino will try to exploit while determining his optimum role for Chelsea.
The player himself has claimed that he prefers to play as an advanced attacking/No.10 midfielder behind the primary striker, yet Leipzig deployed him in both roles.
A total of 16 Bundesliga goals and 23 overall in 2022/23 demonstrates his ability to score from a deeper starting position, with 12 of his goals coming from a No.10 position last season.
He finished the season as the Bundesliga’s joint-top scorer, along with Werder Bremen’s Niclas Füllkrug, an amazing achievement for a player who does not play mainly as a striker.
@.9xqz welcome 💙🔥#nkunku #chelsea ♬ original sound – 19
Pochettino already has a plethora of attacking midfield options, but with Mason Mount said to be leaving, Nkunku would fill in as a central forward-thinking midfielder, flanked by Enzo Fernandez and Mateo Kovacic/Conor Gallagher.
Chelsea are still looking for a central striker, which Nkunku can fill, and there are concerns over Kai Havertz’s future at Stamford Bridge.
In 2022/23, RB Leipzig moved between methods, and Nkunku can also play as a pure No.10, with two holding midfielders in behind and pace out wide, as he did in Germany alongside Timo Werner and Dominik Szoboszlai.
