Chelsea ‘willing to go above release clause’ for Christopher Nkunku

Todd Boehly does not stop.

Chelsea are reportedly close to tying up a deal for RB Leipzig forward Christopher Nkunku which would see the France international move to Stamford Bridge next summer. Nkunku penned a two-year extension to his contract with the Bundesliga club earlier this year which takes him up to 2026. The new deal does, however, contain a clause allowing him to leave for £52.8m which becomes active next summer. It was reported last week that Nkunku had undergone medical checks with Chelsea before the close of the last window. Although Sky Sports state that no deal has been signed and Nkunku has yet to make a final decision on his future, Chelsea are thought to be confident and willing to go above the release clause in order to beat other interested clubs to his signature. The 24-year-old moved to Leipzig in 2019 having come through the youth ranks with Paris Saint-Germain. His form in Germany has alerted a host of the continent's top clubs, with Manchester United linked with him earlier in the year following comments made by then-interim manager, Ralf Rangnick. Chelsea have been heavily active in the transfer market since being taken over by a Todd Boehly-led consortium earlier in the year. A host of high-profile arrivals - including Wesley Fofana, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Raheem Sterling, Kalidou Koulibaly and Marc Cucurella - joined the club over the summer, when Thomas Tuchel was still manager. The German was dismissed just days after the close of the window, with Graham Potter appointed as his replacement. Should Nkunku arrive, he would become potentially be the first arrival of Potter's time as manager - assuming Boehly hasn't become impatient and fired him from now until then.