Liverpool Could Sign Chelsea Star for Just £35m in Smart Summer Move | OneFootball

The Former Target Nkunku Could Make All the Sense

Three years after Michael Edwards first identified Christopher Nkunku as the perfect multifunctional forward for Liverpool, the stars may finally align in this summer’s intriguing transfer window. Once seen as the absolute heir to Roberto Firmino, a player capable of operating across the frontline, in midfield, or as a support striker, the Frenchman’s career veered in a different direction after an ill-fated and injury-plagued move to Chelsea. That it coincided with Darwin Núñez arriving at Anfield for a fee north of £80 million only adds to the symmetry of paths not taken. Both moves were high-risk, high-cost gambles with fees being banked on explosive potential. And both appear to be ending with less than explosive exits.

As Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes continue reshaping the Liverpool squad with ruthless clarity, Nkunku’s name might once again come across the recruitment desk. In a team losing Darwin, Díaz, and heartbreakingly Diogo Jota, a versatile forward like Nkunku — especially at a £30–35 million price point — becomes not just viable, but almost necessary.

A Firmino Successor Three Years Late

The Liverpool model has always valued versatility — not just in terms of positions, but in tactical function. That was the logic behind the early interest in Nkunku during his Leipzig peak where he was a statistical genius. He wasn’t just scoring goals and creating chances; he was occupying spaces in between roles, drifting between the 10, false nine, and left channel in a way reminiscent of a younger Firmino with more speed and clinical edge. The move seems almost inevitable and if the choice had been made by the Reds’ former Sporting Director, Edwards, it would have surely materialised.

In 2022, that profile made all the sense in the world. But Jürgen Klopp had other ideas and insisted on signing a more direct number nine who had marvelled against his side in a European tussle with Benfica. The result was Darwin Núñez — chaos personified, but never quite calibrated to intricacy. Meanwhile, Nkunku joined Chelsea, where he was unlucky with injuries and the general dysfunction of a club addicted to transfer noise and change. A system player that would have revelled on Merseyside got lost in a club never satisfied or willing to wait.

Now, Edwards holds the power in a restructured Liverpool regime, and Arne Slot will surely appreciate a profile like Nkunku’s. There’s still enough explosiveness, technical quality, and pressing intelligence to justify the move. At 27, Nkunku also fits the bracket of a player with experience but enough mileage left to be shaped.

Covering the Departures with Intelligence

Nkunku’s arrival would act as cover for the losses of not just Darwin Núñez, but sadly Diogo Jota and perhaps Luis Díaz. That trio, once part of the post-Firmino rebuild, seems destined for separation by either fate or necessity. Darwin’s likely exit to Saudi Arabia or Napoli has been widely reported, while Díaz appears set for a summer to move to Munich with two years left on his current deal. And Jota — one of the most lethal finishers at the club in his stay — is sadly within his final resting place.

In that context, a player who can start in multiple positions and accept a rotational role becomes vital to squad management. Nkunku’s flexibility means he could play behind Alexander Isak, deputise on the left when Florian Wirtz is shifted inside, or even fill in as a pressing forward in more congested fixtures.

It’s not about headlines anymore — it’s about fit and functionality. Liverpool isn’t hunting superstars this summer; they’re assembling a tactical ecosystem that can win consistently. Nkunku, when fit, is both proven and plug-in ready.

Not Another Chiesa Situation

The comparison to Federico Chiesa is inevitable, but misleading. Where Chiesa was being brought in as a short-term wildcard on high wages, Nkunku would be a lower-risk investment with more tangible upside. He’s younger, more flexible, and still relatively untapped at Premier League level due to a disrupted Chelsea career. The data still likes him. The skillset still works. And most importantly, the price now matches Liverpool’s risk appetite. Ultimately, the style of Liverpool and control better suits the players and a more stable setting would allow a fallen star to rise once more.

This wouldn’t be a sentimental reunion, but a calculated correction of steps not taken. Edwards and Hughes aren’t chasing ghosts of past scouting reports — they’re filling gaps in a squad that is losing goals, minutes, and availability. Nkunku may never hit the Leipzig heights again, but he doesn’t have to. He just has to be a high-functioning cog in a team aiming for the top and he will surely mewp at that opportunity.

The rebuild continues, and not every move will come with fanfare or a marquee tag. But if Liverpool can sign a 27-year-old, multi-role forward with top-level experience for half the price they once considered paying, it might be time to finish what was started in 2022. Christopher Nkunku — the old flame, reborn with logic.