Man United 'given boost' in pursuit of forward amid Joshua Zirkzee, Rasmus Hojlund struggles

The 26-year-old was restricted to just 14 appearances for the Blues during the 2023-24 campaign due to injuries, but he has scored 10 goals and registered one assist in 17 outings in all competitions this term.

Despite his impressive goal record, Nkunku is not currently a part of Enzo Maresca's first-choice XI in the Premier League, with Nicolas Jackson the starting striker for the London club.

Nkunku has only managed one goal in 10 Premier League appearances this term, while he has not started in England's top flight since the opening weekend of the season against Manchester City.

The Frenchman is said to be becoming increasingly frustrated with his role at Stamford Bridge, and a recent report claimed that Man United were considering moving for him during the January transfer window.

Nkunku 'open to January Man United move'

According to Football Insider, Nkunku is 'unhappy' at Chelsea and would be open to the idea of making the move to Man United in January, should the Red Devils offer him a starting role in the side.

Nkunku is allegedly not prepared to play a back-up role to Jackson this term, with the Frenchman unhappy at Stamford Bridge despite the fact that he has had regular game time in the cup competitions.

The forward had a successful spell at RB Leipzig between 2019 and 2023, scoring 70 goals and registering 56 assists in 172 appearances in all competitions, before arriving at Chelsea in the summer of 2023.

Nkunku has 13 goals in 30 appearances for the Blues in all competitions, but he has only managed four goals in 20 Premier League appearances since making the move to English football.

Would Nkunku be a good signing for Man United?

Man United's senior strikers Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee have only scored three goals between them during the 2024-25 campaign, with both finding it difficult to make their mark.

Zirkzee could allegedly leave the Red Devils on loan in January, with Juventus believed to be keen on the Netherlands international, who has only managed one goal in all competitions this season.

Nkunku is certainly an interesting option for Man United; a permanent move is highly unlikely due to the numbers involved, but it is certainly possible that a loan deal could be agreed, and he could fit into Ruben Amorim's system at Old Trafford as one of the number 10s in a 3-4-3 formation.

Man United were heavily linked with the forward during his time at Leipzig, and the perfect opportunity to revisit that interest could have now arrived due to his frustrations in the English capital.