Manchester United are said to be willing to spend £35 million to sign Chelsea striker Christopher Nkunku.
The Red Devils have included Nkunku in their striker target list for this summer. As for Chelsea, they may have to sell the player they signed for £52 million just two years ago.
The 27-year-old striker is a redundant at Chelsea after the Blues successfully recruited Joao Pedro and Liam Delap this summer for a total of £90 million. Chelsea are also preparing to complete a £55 million contract for Dortmund's Jamie Gittens as they continue to spend big.
However, The Blues will also have to sell players this summer after they were fined £78.5 million by UEFA for violating financial regulations. A large fine of around £51 million has been postponed, but Chelsea still have to comply and are preparing for a major clearance this summer.
French player Nkunku is in the target area of Man United, although the Old Trafford team also has eyes on Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins as another target.
Man United also want to sell Alejandro Garnacho, who was Chelsea's target in the past. However, they could be financially hampered and have to submit to UEFA sanctions.
That could open the door for a potential trade-off. However, Chelsea will prioritize selling off rather than lending to reduce the number of players in the squad.
While Gittens was expected to replace Jadon Sancho, Pedro was seen as a replacement for Nkunku. For Garnacho, the young Argentine will provide important depth on the left wing, especially when Mykhailo Mudryk's future is still unclear.
However, coach Enzo Maresca wants to ensure that Garnacho's personality will integrate well into the team before making any offers. This shows that Chelsea are considering the long term of their goals, prioritizing adaptation and a mentality of competition in addition to talent.
For Man United, although Nkunku may not be a top target, the former RB Leipzig player will be a cheap choice. Especially as they are looking to complete their deal with Bryan Mbeumo, after successfully recruiting Matheus Cunha from Wolves.
Separate transfer deals involving Garnacho and Nkunku in opposite directions will solve the problem for both Man United and Chelsea. However, the two clubs have yet to hold any official talks on the issue.
