Man United 'sound out unhappy £53m Chelsea star for a transfer' as he grows sick of playing in the Conference League
- The Portuguese is arriving next week ahead of first match at Ipswich on Nov 24
- United hierarchy are reportedly ready to bring in reinforcements for new boss
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Manchester United are reportedly looking to make a sensational swoop for a Chelsea star in a bid to bolster their squad as the Ruben Amorim era dawns.
The Red Devils have plumbed new depths this season, at one point dropping to 14th place in the Premier League before sacking beleaguered boss Erik ten Hag last month.
His replacement Amorim is set to arrive in Manchester on Monday ahead of a two-week preparation period for his opening match at Ipswich on November 24.
While the Portuguese has been taking charge of three final games at Sporting Lisbon, interim manager Ruud van Nistelrooy has overseen an impressive four matches to put the side in good spirits ahead of a fresh start at Old Trafford.
And United are looking to tee Amorim up with some reinforcements to try to rescue a campaign which looked to be flying off the rails, L'Equipe reports.
Chelsea's Christopher Nkunku has emerged as a surprise target for Manchester United
Ruben Amorim is arriving as the next United boss next week and may be given reinforcements
United have only recently found their shooting boots but Nkunku would come as a boost
One name being touted for an unexpected move from rivals Chelsea is Christopher Nkunku, with the Frenchman believed to be frustrated about a lack of game time under new manager Enzo Maresca this season.
The former RB Leipzig striker arrived at Stamford Bridge in July 2023 for a fee of £52 million but his first year at the club was heavily interrupted by injuries.
As the Blues have soared up the Premier League table this campaign, Nkunku has largely been forced to watch on from the bench with Maresca generally preferring a front three of Noni Madueke, Pedro Neto and Nicolas Jackson.
The 26-year-old has largely been consigned to appearances in the cup competitions but has managed to bag 10 goals in 17 matches at a rate of one every 69 minutes.
His lack of game time has led him to consider his future at Stamford Bridge although the Frenchman has not made his feelings clear to the club's hierarchy.
Rivals have begun to get word of Nkunku's discontent, however, with some beginning to circle for the forward - one being United.
Chelsea boast incredible depth in attacking positions, with summer signing Joao Felix and Mykhailo Mudryk among those also available to Maresca, meaning the side might be willing to allow their French striker depart.
The move would be a coup for Amorim's United, with the team only finding their shooting boots in the last few weeks under Van Nistelrooy, scoring 11 times in four matches.
Nkunku has managed to whip out his signature celebration a few times this campaign
The Frenchman is competing with the likes of Pedro Neto (left), Nicolas Jackson (centre) and Mykhailo Mudryk (right) for a place in the Blues side
Ruud van Nistelrooy has overseen four solid games as United interim but his future is uncertain
The new boss will arrive in England on Monday but won't be able to start work as United's new head coach until he has been granted a work permit.
He will not be unveiled to the media until his pre-match press conference for that game, although he is expected to speak to United's in-house TV station before then.
The club are keen for Amorim to settle in England as quickly as possible and find somewhere to live during the international break.
He is said to be keen to bring five of his back-room staff to Old Trafford from Sporting, which has cast doubt on the future of United's coaching staff – including Van Nistelrooy who completed his stint as interim with a 3-0 win against Leicester on Sunday.
