Christopher Nkunku completes deal to join Chelsea from RB Leipzig next summer – report

Chelsea have reportedly completed a deal that will see France and RB Leipzig striker Christopher Nkunku join the Premier League club next summer.

Nkunku, who missed the World Cup through injury, has long been linked with a move to Stamford Bridge after impressing in the Bundesliga and Champions League for Leipzig.

According to Fabrizio Romano, the move is now “signed and sealed” and the paperwork confirming Nkunku’s move to Chelsea in July 2023 has been completed.

The transfer fee hasn’t been revealed, but the highly-rated 25-year-old is unlikely to come cheap as he has a contract in Germany until June 2026.

Some reports said the deal is worth 70 million euros, with Leipzig happy to cash in after already agreeing a deal for his replacement, Salzburg’s Benjamin Sesko, to join ahead of next season.

Nkunku started the 2022/23 season in superb form, scoring 17 goals in 23 games in all competitions, including three in the Champions League.

The former PSG player was named in Didier Deschamps’ World Cup squad but suffered an injury during training ahead of the tournament in Qatar.

France face Argentina in the World Cup final on Sunday, looking to become just the third successful defending champions in the competition.

Nkunku was one of several important players Les Bleus lost to injury before the tournament, along with Paul Pogba, N’Golo Kante and Karim Benzema.

The forward joined Leipzig from PSG in the summer of 2019 for around 13 million euros and has excelled in Germany.

Nkunku has 64 goals and 51 assists to his name in 159 appearances for Leipzig and won the German Cup last season, as well as being named Bundesliga Player of the Season.

His Leipzig team-mate, Josko Gvardiol is also reportedly of interest to Chelsea but no deal has been completed yet.