Manchester United’s pursuit of a new striker took them to the doors of AC Milan this summer, although their endeavour failed to bear fruit. The Red Devils were keen to add more firepower to their squad this year in preparation for their involvement in the Champions League.
The English giants invested over £200 million in the attack last summer and that decision paid dividends by the end of the season. Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko all reached double figures, helping United finish third in the Premier League.
That enabled the Red Devils to secure qualification for the Champions League after a gap of two years, setting up a fixture congested 2026/27 campaign. With Joshua Zirkzee’s future uncertain, the Premier League giants were keen to sign a new striker to bolster their frontline.
It has now emerged that they had their sights on a former Chelsea forward for the job.
United wanted Christopher Nkunku
According to BILD, United attempted to sign Christopher Nkunku from AC Milan this summer. The French forward left the Rossoneri to return to RB Leipzig on a season-long loan.
The Bundesliga club’s managing director, Marcel Schäfer, revealed that the player had turned down two Premier League clubs in favour of a return to the Red Bull Arena. He said: “The transfer wouldn’t have happened without Christo’s steadfastness. Two Premier League clubs were willing to go to great lengths—we wouldn’t have stood a chance.”
BILD have named Newcastle United and Manchester United as the player’s two suitors, adding: “According to BILD, Nkunku turned down not only Newcastle but also Manchester United. He only wanted to go to Leipzig.”
Leipzig have an option to buy the player for €28 million next year.
Nkunku’s Chelsea struggles
Nkunku first gained widespread acclaim for his efforts with RB Leipzig after arriving from Paris Saint-Germain in 2019. The Frenchman spent four years with the Bundesliga club before Chelsea came calling in the summer of 2023.
Unfortunately, Nkunku picked up an injury during pre-season and only returned to action in December that year. It would be a sign of things to come, as the player failed to live up to expectations at Stamford Bridge.
The 28 year old registered 18 goals and five assists in 62 appearances for the Blues, before leaving for AC Milan in the summer of 2025.
Christopher Nkunku Stats by Club
| Club | Appearances | Goals | Assists | Yellow Cards | Second Yellow | Red Cards | Minutes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leipzig | 174 | 70 | 57 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 12,516' |
| PSG | 78 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3,458' |
| Chelsea | 62 | 18 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2,844' |
| AC Milan | 35 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1,528' |
| Paris SG B | 27 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2,219' |
| Paris SG YL | 17 | 9 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1,287' |
| Paris SG U19 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 180' |
| Paris SG U17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - |
| Total | 395 | 122 | 75 | 28 | 0 | 0 | 24,032' |
Source: Transfermarkt.
Nkunku’s spell at the San Siro has not panned out as expected, with the player also struggling for chances since the arrival of Ruben Amorim this summer. A return to RB Leipzig could represent the perfect opportunity for him to get his career back on track.
Final Thoughts
United may have dodged a bullet by failing to secure the signature of Nkunku this summer. The Frenchman has not been in his element of late, while he has also missed 57 games for club and country through various injuries over the past three seasons.
Featured image Francois Nel via Getty Images
