AC Milan and Chelsea reach full agreement for Nkunku transfer | OneFootball

AC Milan have reached an agreement with Chelsea over the permanent signing of forward Christopher Nkunku.

The French international is set to join the Serie A club for a package worth €42 million, including add-ons and a sell-on clause.

Personal terms have already been settled, and Nkunku has been granted permission to travel to Italy to finalise the move.

The 27-year-old had been left out of Enzo Maresca’s opening two Premier League squads.

Nkunku joined Chelsea from RB Leipzig in 2023 but has struggled to make a consistent impact.

He has bagged 18 goals and five assists in 62 appearances for the club. Despite his pedigree, Chelsea are open to a sale as part of their wider squad reshaping under Maresca.

Milan have been searching for attacking reinforcements after a frustrating summer pursuit of other targets.

Moves for Victor Boniface and Sporting CP’s Conrad Harder both fell through despite advanced negotiations.

Nkunku quickly emerged as their preferred option, with talks accelerating this week after contact between the clubs.

The forward has agreed to a five-year contract at the San Siro and has accepted a pay cut to facilitate the transfer.

Chelsea had initially valued Nkunku at over €60m, but Milan were able to negotiate a lower fee in line with their budget.

Interest from Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig never progressed, leaving Milan with a clear path to complete the signing.

The Rossoneri endured a difficult 2024-25 campaign, finishing eighth in Serie A. They started the new season with a defeat to Cremonese.

Nkunku is expected to undergo medical checks before the weekend, with paperwork between the clubs already being prepared.

Milan face Lecce on Friday, though Nkunku is unlikely to feature until after the international break.