AC Milan have reportedly invited Christopher Nkunku to consider leaving the club this summer, just one season after his €37m transfer from Chelsea. According to Sky Sport, the French forward has been placed on a list of players who are free to depart as manager Ruben Amorim shapes his squad for the upcoming campaign.
The 28-year-old joined the Rossoneri last summer following his stint in the Premier League but appears to have failed to convince Amorim of his value for the forthcoming Serie A season. Despite featuring regularly throughout the previous campaign, Nkunku now finds himself surplus to requirements at the San Siro.
Statistical contribution
During his debut season in Lombardy, Nkunku made 35 appearances across all competitions, starting 17 of those matches. He contributed eight goals and three assists, proving decisive on 11 occasions for the Italian giants.
Those figures represent a respectable return for a player adjusting to a new league, yet they have seemingly proved insufficient to secure his place in the manager’s future plans. The former Paris Saint-Germain academy graduate arrived with significant expectations following his €37m move from Stamford Bridge, but those hopes appear to have gone unfulfilled in the eyes of the current coaching staff.
Broader squad overhaul
Nkunku is not the only high-profile name facing the exit door. Sky Sport reports that Youssouf Fofana, Fikayo Tomori and Pervis Estupiñán are also among seven players invited to leave. This suggests a significant recalibration of the playing personnel as the club attempts to meet Amorim’s tactical and technical requirements.
Despite his uncertain future, Nkunku has remained professional during the pre-season period. He featured for 45 minutes in each of AC Milan’s last two friendly fixtures, scoring the equaliser in a 1-1 draw against Inter Milan before also appearing against his former club Chelsea in a match that finished 3-0 to the English side.
Career crossroads
The France international now faces a defining moment in his career. Having departed PSG for RB Leipzig, then moved to Chelsea before his short-lived Italian adventure, a fourth move in as many years beckons.
With the transfer window remaining open, Nkunku will hope to secure a destination where he can feature more prominently. His record of eight goals from limited starts last season suggests he retains the quality to contribute at a high level, should he find a club willing to offer the regular minutes that appear unlikely to materialise at Milan.