Manchester United’s hunt for attacking signings continues as Ruben Amorim looks to bring more goals to Old Trafford this season.
Manchester United have returned for pre-season training and two new faces were in training for the first time.
Matheus Cunha completed his move to United early in the window, before Diego Leon finalised a switch to Old Trafford.
Both Cunha and Leon were in training at Carrington and will be ramping up their preparations for the new season.
Ruben Amorim may be a little frustrated to have only two signings on board at this stage, but he will hope for more additions soon.
Bryan Mbeumo remains United’s top target, but a new striker will also be on the Old Trafford wish list.
Photo by Crystal Pix/MB Media/Getty ImagesChelsea set Christopher Nkunku asking price
Reports in June suggested that United made contact to sign Christopher Nkunku from Chelsea.
Nkunku is struggling for minutes at Stamford Bridge and Chelsea’s signing of Joao Pedro only pushes him further down the pecking order.
The Frenchman is surely chasing a summer exit and United may be willing to offer an escape route.
The Mirror claimed over the weekend that Chelsea have now set an asking price of around £35million on Nkunku.
Nkunku is described as being ‘surplus to requirements’ at Chelsea and the Blues are willing to sell for a knockdown price.
United will focus funds on Mbeumo first, but that price tag on Nkunku may be appealing, especially with much larger fees required for the likes of Viktor Gyokeres and Hugo Ekitike.
Manchester United faced much higher Nkunku demands under Ralf Rangnick
United fans may remember that Nkunku was on the radar for a potential Old Trafford move a number of years ago.
Ralf Rangnick wanted United to sign Nkunku in 2022, just months before the German left Manchester and the Erik ten Hag era began.
That summer, Nkunku signed a new deal with RB Leipzig, which included a £52million release clause.
Nkunku was on fire in the Bundesliga, smashing 58 goals in his final two seasons in Leipzig before Chelsea came calling.
Chelsea paid that £52million release clause, but are now ready to take just £35million for his signature.
That is quite the price slash from the fee United would have had to pay just a couple of years ago, which sounds so appealing at first glance.
The price reduction does, though, sum up just how disappointing Nkunku’s time in a Chelsea shirt has been.
Nkunku looks to have lost some of his athleticism since his RB Leipzig days as injuries have been a constant problem.
Now approaching 28, Nkunku would still be a gamble at £35million and United must think long and hard on whether the Frenchman will recapture his best form at Old Trafford, or whether his RB Leipzig days are long gone.