Nkunku reportedly prefers RB Leipzig stay but Newcastle hold best offer
Quick summary
Reports indicate Christopher Nkunku favours remaining at RB Leipzig despite Newcastle United presenting the most attractive financial offer for the forward.
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Attributed to original sourceAccording to Italian reports, Newcastle United made the best offer to Milan for Christopher Nkunku, but the player would prefer RB Leipzig instead.
The former Chelsea man is not part of coach Ruben Amorim’s plans and has been excluded from the squad, not even given a shirt number for this season.
He is on the market just a year after his €37m plus add-ons move from Chelsea, having scored eight goals with three assists in 35 competitive appearances.
Nkunku torn between two clubs MILAN, ITALY – MAY 10: Christopher Nkunku of AC Milan scores his team’s second goal from a penalty kick during the Serie A match between AC Milan and Atalanta BC at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on May 10, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images) Transfer pundit Fabrizio Romano confirms that both Newcastle United and RB Leipzig are in direct contact with Milan, although neither is at a particularly advanced stage.
There are more details provided by Calciomercato and Milan specialist reporter Daniele Longo , who notes that while Newcastle have offered the most favourable terms for the deal, Nkunku would prefer a return to RB Leipzig.
It was by far the best spell of his career, scoring 70 goals and providing 56 assists in 172 games for the German club from 2019 to 2023.
His form petered off after the €60m move to Chelsea in the summer of 2023 and never quite recovered.
It’s reported Newcastle United are ready to offer €30m for the purchase of the France international.
Galatasaray had also made an approach, but Nkunku was not interested in this move.
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What happened
Christopher Nkunku is reported to prefer continuing his career at RB Leipzig, where he has been a key attacking figure, rather than pursuing a move to Newcastle United. However, the Magpies are said to have tabled the highest financial package among interested clubs, potentially complicating Leipzig's hopes of retaining the French forward. The situation presents a classic transfer standoff between player preference and the financial power of Premier League suitors. Leipzig will be keen to keep their star man as they look to compete in the Bundesliga and Champions League.
Chance analysis
Nkunku's reported preference to stay at Leipzig underscores how player agency continues to shape transfer sagas, even when Premier League wealth is on the table. For Leipzig, losing their most productive attacker would be a significant blow to their Champions League ambitions and Bundesliga standing. Newcastle, meanwhile, face the familiar challenge of convincing elite talent that their project outweighs the appeal of established European clubs. The outcome of this standoff will be a notable subplot in the summer window, with Leipzig's negotiating position hinging on whether they can meet the player's sporting ambitions.
If Nkunku stays, Leipzig retain a key attacking weapon; if he leaves, their offensive output drops notably while Newcastle gain a high-calibre forward.