On 03/06/2023 at 22:23, JM7 said:

Let’s hope he’s not yet another German flop. It’s becoming a pattern. 

I can easily see him being our top scorer next season. 7 maybe 8 goals. Should be enough.

If he stays fit.

Fabrizio Romano reported that back in December both Chelsea and Leipzig signed an agreement to not announce the signing until the last matches of the season were played in order to protect the player and clubs. 

 

https://www.90min.com/posts/christopher-nkunku-explains-how-he-can-help-chelsea-forward-line

"I am focused on this gathering with Les Bleus. Everything that happens after, we will have time to think."

"I play where the coach decides. I don’t want to be a problem but a solution. But I can be up front, in support behind or on the wings. I have this ability to adapt - I like to be free."

Not sure why but i get Hazard vibes from him, excited to see him next season.

1 hour ago, RIP Mourinho said:

https://www.90min.com/posts/christopher-nkunku-explains-how-he-can-help-chelsea-forward-line

"I am focused on this gathering with Les Bleus. Everything that happens after, we will have time to think."

"I play where the coach decides. I don’t want to be a problem but a solution. But I can be up front, in support behind or on the wings. I have this ability to adapt - I like to be free."

Not sure why but i get Hazard vibes from him, excited to see him next season.

Yeah I'm trying to be cautious given our recent record but I feel we may finally have a gamechanger in attack.

He’s quality and far better equipped for the PL than Werner was.

He could be the player we thought Werner would be. 
 

Genuinely looking forward to his arrival.

 

 

Chelsea is delighted to announce Christopher Nkunku will join the club from RB Leipzig ahead of the 2023/24 season.

 

The 25-year-old, who has been capped 10 times by France, has agreed a six-year contract, which will begin on 1 July. 

'I am incredibly happy to be joining Chelsea,' said Nkunku. 'A big effort was made to bring me to the club and I am looking forward to meeting my new coach and teammates and showing the Chelsea supporters what I can do on the pitch. 

'Having played in Ligue 1 and the Bundesliga, I now want to play in the Premier League, one of the strongest leagues in the world. I am very excited for this challenge and will be proud to wear the Chelsea shirt.'

Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley, Chelsea’s co-sporting directors, said: 'Christopher has proved himself one of the standout attacking players in European football over the past two seasons and will add quality, creativity and versatility to our squad. 

'He has demonstrated his ability at the highest level with RB Leipzig and France and we look forward to him joining up with his new teammates ahead of the new season.'

Nkunku is a graduate of the famed French national football academy at Clairefontaine and started his professional career at Paris Saint-Germain. He made 78 first-team appearances and was involved in three Ligue 1 title wins and two Coupe de France triumphs before departing for RB Leipzig in the summer of 2019. 

It is in Germany that Nkunku built his reputation as one of the finest forwards in European football. He scored 35 goals in all competitions during the 2021/22 campaign and was named Bundesliga Player of the Season and German PFA Player of the Season. The DFB-Pokal was also won. 

The versatile attacker struck a further 23 goals this season to help Leipzig secure a third-place finish in the Bundesliga and retain the DFB-Pokal. 

Welcome to Chelsea, Christopher! 

 

I have a good feeling. Welcome to Chelsea

Not sure this is the position we really need to fill as he is not a No.9 yet welcome to the mad house that is CFC these days.

3 minutes ago, strider6004 said:

Not sure this is the position we really need to fill as he is not a No.9 yet welcome to the mad house that is CFC these days.

This is my only real concern with him. After ~3 years of watching Kai try and lead the line when really he'd be better playing off someone, I worry we could be making the same mistake again.

Should be said that Nkunku seems a more natural finisher though

At the beginning I thought htis was a stupid idea. Right now I am very hopeful its a brilliant deal. Price seems right as well.

I hope he is played as attacking midfielder and not as No 9. 

25 minutes ago, strider6004 said:

Not sure this is the position we really need to fill as he is not a No.9 yet welcome to the mad house that is CFC these days.

 

19 minutes ago, cfr95 said:

This is my only real concern with him. After ~3 years of watching Kai try and lead the line when really he'd be better playing off someone, I worry we could be making the same mistake again.

Should be said that Nkunku seems a more natural finisher though

Replaces Kai and Mount behind Jackson or Broja i imagine. Imagine we'll rarely see him as a 9.

I think so too yet no one has taken Mount, Kai or Gallagher.

Have heard with Gallagher the sticking point is his earnings at CFC are much more than the other club. 

Never saw this one coming!

Great signing, very excited for some fresh energy and talent. Welcome to the club - help us get back to the top!

5 minutes ago, strider6004 said:

I think so too yet no one has taken Mount, Kai or Gallagher

The transfer window has only been open for about a week to be fair, and plenty of players have been on international duty.

If reports are to be believed Havertz leaving is imminent. I still hold out hope for Mount to stay, but if not, United have history of bidding low early in a window before panicking later on in the window and paying the selling clubs asking price.

Gallagher on the other hand said just last night he wants to stay at Chelsea (at least that's the headline I saw).

9 minutes ago, strider6004 said:

I think so too yet no one has taken Mount, Kai or Gallagher.

Have heard with Gallagher the sticking point is his earnings at CFC are much more than the other club. 

Doubtful, as he would still be on his first professional contract

51 minutes ago, strider6004 said:

I think so too yet no one has taken Mount, Kai or Gallagher.

Have heard with Gallagher the sticking point is his earnings at CFC are much more than the other club. 

Mount and Kai are basically guaranteed to go.

Gallagher, although likely to stay, is only on £50k a week so doubt that's much of an issue.

43 minutes ago, SydneyChelsea said:

Doubtful, as he would still be on his first professional contract

Gallagher would be on, relatively speaking, peanuts. 50K or 60K. Two years left on his contract. There was talk earlier this year of renewing but I don't know what came of it.

Edited June 20, 20233 yr by dermott
Cross post

There's no way you sign anyone better than Gallagher for the same transfer cost we could get for him + wages he's currently on

7 minutes ago, cfr95 said:

There's no way you sign anyone better than Gallagher for the same transfer cost we could get for him + wages he's currently on

But we need the sale for pure FFP profit.

8 minutes ago, cfr95 said:

There's no way you sign anyone better than Gallagher for the same transfer cost we could get for him + wages he's currently on

Don't mind Gallagher but he's not a great footballer. Fantastic athlete and will always put 110% effort in but from a football standpoint he's lacking, you could even see it against Macedonia last night even. If we can get £40m for him i think we can and should do better.

Welcome to Chelsea.

I'm getting good vibes about this signing.

I really hope this works out

Unfortunately we know only too well that scoring goals in Germany doesn't mean scoring goals for Chelsea in England.

And please retire the fecking No 9 shirt it's jinxed !

I'm begining to change my feelings on Clearlake, i now think the first transfer window was blind panic, due to the mess left by the previous regime. Since then they've signed arguably one the best scouting teams around, and all signings since, seem to show a real drive and purpose. Enzo appears to be the player that everything will be built around, hence they were getting him whatever the cost. All other signings seem to be very considered and not ludicrously overpriced. I have a feeling they are building something that if all goes well, will be a formidible team eventually. Graham Potter failed, but on paper was probably the best option out there to oversee this rebuild. He lacked the big club experience that Poccehtino has, so fingers crossed, he gets them to gel. All these young up and coming players seem very happy to join us , and not on silly huge wages. So what they are being told of the plan, is obviously very encouraging. If we can scrape top 6 next season that will do me fine. I suspect our starting 11 next season will bear no resemblance to any previous years, there will be ups and downs inevitably with young players, but we really need to give them time and encouragement.