Liverpool send scouts to hijack Chelsea transfer pursuit as Boehly plots £80m spree
Liverpool are scouting RB Leipzig forward Christopher Nkunku in the hopes of luring him away from a move to Chelsea.
The France international has already completed his medical ahead of a move to Stamford Bridge, but no agreement has been reached between the clubs.
Nkunku has been one of Europe’s standout performers this season, impressing in the Bundesliga last season and kicking off the new campaign in similar fashion.
The 24-year-old has seven goals in ten league appearances, and Chelsea is in pole position to sign him at some point in 2023.
The club has already persuaded the player to join them in the Premier League and is willing to match his contract’s £52 million release clause, though they would prefer to negotiate a lower fee with Leipzig if possible.
As a result, another club could swoop in and sign the former Paris Saint-Germain star.
According to The Sun, Liverpool sent scouts to watch Nkunku play against Celtic in the Champions League earlier this week and are hoping that his move to Chelsea falls through so that they can pounce.
The Reds are aware that he is likely to join their Premier League rivals and that they have ‘missed the boat,’ but they will continue to monitor his progress.
Nkunku can play on either wing, as a striker, or as a No 10, giving Graham Potter plenty of options when he switches formations midgame to accommodate the flow of the game.
Under Todd Boehly, the Blues are eager to flex their financial muscles in the upcoming transfer windows, with the goal of competing for all trophies.
Potter is also looking to strengthen his defense in the coming months, with the club considering a move for Leipzig’s Josko Gvardiol.
The central defender signed a contract extension with the Bundesliga club earlier this season, which means he could cost up to £80m to sign, which is significantly more than the Blues bid for him at the end of the summer.
Given his previous experience with Brighton, Swansea, and Ostersunds, some have questioned Potter’s ability to manage ‘big egos,’ to which he responded earlier this week, saying:
As far as I’m aware, they are still human beings. There is a media perception when they get to a certain level that they grow a second head or something and they become not like the rest of us. That is easy to put out there but the reality is not the case.
“At Brighton, there weren’t ‘big’ players but Adam Lallana won the Champions League and played for Liverpool for seven years, Danny Welbeck has had a good career and I spoke to those guys and did alright with them despite their second head because players have massive egos.”
Liverpool send scouts to hijack Chelsea transfer pursuit as Boehly plots £80m spree
