Transfer news: Chelsea to trade Christopher Nkunku for Bayern Munich talent Mathys Tel?

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Negotiations advanced 

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Could Christopher Nkunku leave Chelsea this month? Multiple reports on Monday have the French forward linked with a permanent transfer to German giants Bayern Munich. According to a report by Sky Germany, Nkunku has already informed the Chelsea bosses that he wants to leave the club. The report also added that Nkunku has reached personal terms with Bayern. Multiple reports also suggest that Bayern’s talented striker Mathys Tel could go the other way as part of the deal. It is understood that Bayern have put a price tag of €40m on Tel whose Transfermarkt market value is €30m. 

Nkunku is determined to leave Chelsea after having featured in just 1180 minutes across 28 games in all competitions. While Nkunku wants to leave it is unclear whether the same is true for Tel. While there were reports about Tel possibly being sent out on loan this winter, the Frenchman has decided that he wants to stay at Bayern and fight for playing time; there now might be a reversal to that plan. “Mathys is completely in our plans,” Bayern Munich director of sport Max Eberl recently said. “The squad is relatively deep in the attack but not too deep.” Despite those comments, Germany’s Bild alongside Fabrizio Romano and Kerry Hau, report that Bayern are now open to a swap deal. 

There are a few other obstacles. One is Nkunku’s salary. The French forward, who is represented by top agent Pini Zahavi’s agency Gol International, earns around €18m a season at Chelsea. Tel, in the meantime, is expected to earn around €4-5m at Chelsea. That salary discrepancy could be an issue as Bayern are currently working on contract extensions for Jamal Musiala, Joshua Kimmich, and Alphonso Davies. Musiala and Davies are expected to receive significant salary increases, and adding another €18m a year salary will lower Nkunku’s value in Bayern’s eyes. Another issue could be Tel; should he reject a move to Chelsea, signing Nkunku will be difficult for Bayern. 

Why are Bayern and Chelsea eager to get a deal done? Both Nkunku and Tel have struggled for playing time at their respective clubs. Tel has made just two starts for Bayern Munich this season. The hope was that the teenager would make a big step in his development and become a player who could at times backup star striker Harry Kane. But Tel has been ineffective whenever he was given playing time. There is no doubt that Tel is a very talented player but tipped to be the next Thierry Henry. The forward’s playing style as an inverted forward never was a good fit at Bayern. Bayern have always played with a traditional no.9 flanked by all-out wingers. 

What sort of player is Tel? In an article for Gegenpressing, Transfermarkt Area Manager France Ronan Caroff suggested that Tel could develop into a player combining the best elements of former star striker Robert Lewandowski and French legend Herny. “When you look at his body measurements, they are already quite close to Lewandowski,” Caroff said. “That might be one of the reasons [Bayern initially went] for him. Of course, predicting what will happen to a prospect is always hard.” And that’s the main issue here: Tel, despite all his talent, never panned out the way Bayern hoped. With that in mind, Bayern might now opt to cash in or rather trade an asset to require a player who, in their eyes, might be a better fit. 

The question though is, would Nkunku truly be a better fit at Bayern? Officially, Nkunku is listed as a center-forward, but the 27-year-old was most efficient playing of a no.9 as a second striker or attacking midfielder at RB Leipzig. Back in 2022/23, when Nkunku scored 16 goals and six assists in 25 Bundesliga games for Leipzig, the Frenchman operated in the role between a natural striker and no.10 Dani Olmo in what often looked like a 4-2-2-2 system on paper. It is the sort of role Leroy Sané occupied at Bayern last season when he formed an electric partnership with Kane to start the season. In other words, Nkunku wouldn’t necessarily be a backup striker for Kane but an additional option in the attack. There is no doubt that Nkunku is still an effective scorer despite his lack of playing time. This season, Nkunku has scored 13 goals or a goal every 91 minutes for Chelsea. That is not a bad return, given the circumstances.