Romano says Chelsea in contact with PL rivals over £52m man

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Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has seen plenty of changes in his squad over the summer, with a high likelihood there will be more signings and departures in the next week.

With the transfer window closing for Premier League teams on September 1, the Blues have a number of fringe men they will look to sell or loan out.

Chelsea want Xavi Simons and Alejandro Garnacho, but the Stamford Bridge squad is already too big and there may need to be player exits before more new players can arrive.

The latest news from Fabrizio Romano is that Chelsea are in contact with a Premier League rival over the potential exit of a big-money signing.

Chelsea attacker Christopher Nkunku in Aston Villa’s sights

Romano has stated on X that Aston Villa have made contact with Chelsea in relation to fringe forward Christopher Nkunku.

The transfer journalist has stated Villa have been ‘informed on conditions’ over a potential deal for the France international, who he suggests is also wanted by Bundesliga sides Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig.

Villa are looking to bolster their options in attack and hold an interest in another Chelsea forward – Nicolas Jackson – who also looks set to leave Stamford Bridge before the window closes.

The Blues clearly have no shortage of interest in Nkunku, but getting a deal over the line to sell the player will be a priority in the next week.

Time for Chelsea to cash in

There will be a temptation to send Nkunku out on loan for the season, to get the 14-times capped France international off the wage bill.

However, a permanent exit for the 27-year-old looks like the best option for all parties.

Chelsea signed Nkunku for £52 million in 2023 and there was a feeling the former Leipzig star could be a clinical and versatile attacker for the Blues.

However, injuries and limited opportunities have meant the attacker has struggled to produce his best form for the Premier League side.

With seemingly no way back for Nkunku at Chelsea and plenty of other attacking options for Maresca, recouping as much of the transfer fee they paid two years ago would make more sense for the Blues than a loan exit.