AC Milan have completed the signing of Christopher Nkunku from Chelsea in a permanent transfer worth €42m (£36.2m/$49m).
The French forward, 25, has signed a five-year contract that runs until 2030, ending his difficult spell at Stamford Bridge.
Nkunku joined Chelsea from RB Leipzig in the summer of 2023 for £52m ($70m) but endured a stop-start career in West London due to injuries.
A serious knee problem in pre-season restricted him to just 11 Premier League appearances in his debut campaign, and while he regained fitness last season, most of his minutes came in cup competitions.
The former Leipzig star was left out of Enzo Maresca’s squad for the first two matches of this campaign, a clear signal he was no longer in Chelsea’s plans.
Chelsea rebuild continues
Nkunku’s departure gives Chelsea more flexibility in the market as they continue their squad overhaul.
The Blues are pursuing several targets, including Manchester United’s Alejandro Garnacho, with a £40m deal reportedly close to completion.
Nkunku’s Chelsea record
Across two seasons, Nkunku made 62 appearances for Chelsea in all competitions, scoring 18 goals and providing five assists, he featured 43 times last season, netting 14 goals, and also played in the Club World Cup campaign.
Taking to his Instagram page after the deal was made official by Milan, Nkunku appreciate Chelsea and wish them well for the future.
“Thank you for everything Chelsea. I wish you all the best” he said.
What’s next?
Milan began their Serie A campaign last week with a win away from home against Lecce and are expected to integrate Nkunku after the international break, his potential debut could come against Bologna on September 14 at San Siro.