Chelsea will block bids for Christopher Nkunku this summer despite transfer interest in the French forward.
Nkunku endured a nightmare debut season with Chelsea after signing from RB Leipzig in a £52m deal last summer.
The 25-year-old was restricted to just two starts in the Premier League after sustaining a serious knee injury in pre-season that began an injury-hit first season in English football.
The joint-leading scorer in the Bundesliga in 2022-23, Nkunku arrived amid high expectations in West London and both the club and player are determined to impress together next season despite speculation surrounding his future.
Nkunku scored 58 goals over his final two seasons in Leipzig and Chelsea view the forward as a crucial part of their plans for next season, under new head coach Enzo Maresca.
Chelsea are expected to make sales before June 30 in order to remain compliant with the Premier League’s financial rules, though the sale of Nkunku is not under consideration at Stamford Bridge.
Armando Broja and Romelu Lukaku are expected departures from the forward line, while there’s interest in Conor Gallagher from Aston Villa and Tottenham. Valued at around £50m, the academy graduate has just a year left on his deal at Chelsea.
