Nkunku rejected Manchester United and Newcastle to seal Leipzig return

Christopher Nkunku rejected approaches from Manchester United and Newcastle United this summer, opting to return to RB Leipzig on loan after his £52 million move to Chelsea in 2023 failed to deliver on its promise.

Leipzig sporting director Marcel Schafer confirmed that two Premier League clubs were willing to meet the club’s demands for the French forward. “The transfer wouldn’t have happened without Christo’s steadfastness,” Schafer said. “Two Premier League clubs were prepared to go to the limit — we wouldn’t have stood a chance.” German outlet BILD subsequently identified those clubs as United and Newcastle.

Nkunku’s time in England was effectively derailed before it began. A serious knee injury disrupted his debut season at Stamford Bridge, and he never established himself under successive Chelsea managers. Last summer, AC Milan signed him permanently, but with former Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim now in charge at San Siro, Nkunku found himself surplus to requirements and free to seek a move.

His ties to Leipzig run deep. The 27-year-old spent four years at the club before joining Chelsea, and his relationship with United director Christopher Vivell — who previously worked at both Leipzig and Chelsea — had kept him on Old Trafford’s radar for some time. Despite that connection, Nkunku’s preference was always a return to Germany.

Back in the Bundesliga, he made an immediate impact off the bench on his debut, registering an assist, though Leipzig then suffered a 3-1 defeat to Werder Bremen in which he started.

For United, signing an attacking player was never the primary objective this window. Midfield reinforcement was the focus under sporting director Michael Carrick, with Andrey Santos, Youri Tielemans, and Carlos Baleba all arriving. Marcus Rashford’s reintegration into the squad following the World Cup also reduced the urgency for a forward.

Full-back cover was identified as a more pressing need, with Lewis Hall, Jorge Salinas, and Joaquin Seys all considered. A deadline-day enquiry for Rayan Ait-Nouri was rejected by Manchester City, leaving Luke Shaw’s injury-prone record as an ongoing concern heading into the new season.