Christopher Nkunku already said yes to Man Utd transfer before Chelsea capitalised

Christopher Nkunku has been linked with a move to Manchester United, a deal that could be two years in the making.

The 27-year-old first caught the eye of United back in 2022 when then-manager Ralf Rangnick was considering a move for the RB Leipzig striker. Rangnick was the one who brought Nkunku to the Bundesliga from Paris Saint-Germain three years prior, signing him on a five-year contract for a reported £11million - a move that proved incredibly successful.

Despite Rangnick leaving his position at Die Roten Bullen in July 2019, Nkunku stayed at the Red Bull Arena until 2023, netting 70 goals and providing 55 assists in 172 appearances. Rangnick eventually found his feet as the interim manager of Manchester United in 2021, following the sacking of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

READ MORE: Chelsea Premier League winner faces bankruptcy after HRMC petition

READ MORE: Chelsea transfer ruled out for possible Nicolas Jackson replacement after £84m deal

And the following year, the 66-year-old showed interest in reuniting with Nkunku, an idea that the French talent reportedly welcomed. The problem at the time was that Manchester United had no scouting reports on Nkunku, and as such, he wasn't on the club's shortlist.

Given Rangnick's relationship with the player, he was reportedly dumbfounded after hearing this, insisting that scouts watch him closely during Leipzig's match against VfL Bochum in February 2022. Despite United's financial capabilities at the time, they were unable to secure Leipzig's £62m-rated star, even with the potential to triple his £30,000 weekly wage with a move to Old Trafford.

A deal simply never materialised, and Rangnick was replaced by Erik ten Hag in May 2022. Instead of bolstering his attacking line-up, the Dutch manager chose to splash out £82m on Antony, £70m on Casemiro and £57m on Lisandro Martinez during the summer transfer window, leaving Nkunku in Germany for another year, reports the Mirror.

In 2023, Nkunku finally made his much-anticipated move to the Premier League, joining Chelsea rather than United, where he has stayed since. Chelsea reportedly paid £52m to sign Nkunku on a six-year contract, but the forward, who can also play as an attacking midfielder, has yet to justify his hefty price tag.

In 2025, Nkunku had only netted 17 goals in 57 appearances for the Blues, due to injury and inconsistency. Consequently, Enzo Maresca hasn't dismissed the possibility of him departing this summer if the offer is right.

And it now appears that Chelsea and Manchester United are considering a swap deal involving Nkunku and Alejandro Garnacho, who seems to be unsettled in the north west. Garnacho's future at Manchester United is hanging by a thread following a series of clashes with manager Ruben Amorim, who has recently bolstered his attacking options by signing Matheus Cunha from Wolves and showing interest in Brentford's Bryan Mbeumo.

The young Argentine was notably left out of the starting XI for United's Europa League final defeat to Tottenham, a decision he openly criticised while lamenting the team's "s***" season. Earlier in the campaign, tensions flared between Garnacho and Amorim when the player seemingly disregarded instructions during a Europa League match against Viktoria Plzen.

With reports indicating that Garnacho has been informed he has "no future" at Old Trafford, speculation about a move to London has intensified, especially after links to Chelsea emerged in January. Nkunku faces his own challenges at Chelsea, where competition for places will be fierce following the £30m acquisition of Liam Delap and the club's pursuit of Jamie Gittens from Borussia Dortmund.

Despite this, it's believed Amorim is ready to give Nkunku the opportunity to spearhead United's attack, considering the limited impact made by Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee since their arrivals in 2023 and 2024. While a swap deal involving Garnacho and Nkunku is a possibility, the Telegraph suggests that separate moves are more probable, though discussions between the clubs have yet to commence regarding either transfer.