Chelsea Football Club is reportedly in talks with RB Leipzig over a potential swap deal involving Xavi Simons and Christopher Nkunku. This move could see Nkunku returning to the Bundesliga club, while Simons makes his way to Stamford Bridge.
Nkunku, who moved to Chelsea on a six-year deal in 2023 for £52m, has struggled to find his footing in west London. His potential return to Leipzig would serve as a replacement for Benjamin Sesko following his £73.7m transfer to Manchester United.
Simultaneously, Chelsea has been negotiating with Leipzig over a fee for Dutch forward Xavi Simons. Despite interest from Bayern Munich, Simons has already agreed on personal terms with the Blues. He joined Leipzig from Paris Saint-Germain in January after two successful loan spells and was expected to cost about €70m (£61m). However, Chelsea is pushing for an inclusion of Nkunku - valued at £40m - as part of the deal.
Negotiations continue amidst interest from other clubs
Negotiations are ongoing between both clubs. It's likely that Chelsea will have to pay an additional sizeable fee for 22-year-old Simons who can play across various attacking positions.
Leipzig also shows interest in Liverpool’s Harvey Elliott amidst attention from several Premier League clubs. Meanwhile, Newcastle United has shown interest in Senegal forward Nicolas Jackson after missing out on Sesko and other targets.
Balancing the books
Chelsea continues negotiations with Manchester United over Alejandro Garnacho's move while planning Nicolas Jackson's sale as part of their financial balancing strategy. Jackson missed Chelsea’s recent 4-1 pre-season win against Milan due to falling down the pecking order at Stamford Bridge following the arrivals of Liam Delap and João Pedro. The 24-year-old, who has been linked with Milan, is believed to be a frontrunner for Eddie Howe’s side.
Chelsea had initially valued Jackson at £80m but are likely to accept a reduced fee of around £65m as they attempt to reshape their attacking options. Both Nkunku and Jackson were left out of Friday’s friendly against Bayer Leverkusen.
The potential swap deal between Chelsea and RB Leipzig involving Xavi Simons and Christopher Nkunku could significantly impact both clubs' future performances. As negotiations continue, sports fans eagerly await the final decision that will shape these players' careers in the coming season.
