€70m move could be replaced by loan as Chelsea engage in late talks with Bayern | OneFootball

Christopher Nkunku’s name has come up time and again in this transfer window in Chelsea related stories, and it’s easy to understand why.

He’s a valuable, big name player who isn’t getting into the team. And Chelsea are open to selling him, at the right price. Any side in Europe that wants a top class attacker would inevitably be linked.

Bayern Munich have been the name mentioned most often, although that has faded a little in recent weeks. It started to look like the Frenchman might be staying put, but sudden movement in Bavaria might bring him back into play.

Mathys Tel, who has been linked to all manner of clubs this month including Chelsea, looks set to leave the German giants, and that gives them a gap in the squad which some are speculating could be filled by Nkunku.

CaughtOffside say that €70m rated Nkunku is the big target should Tel go. Their sources say that Bayern are “working hard to convince Chelsea to allow Nkunku to move back to the Bundesliga.”

Fees, loans and complicated contracts

Christopher Nkunku and Bayern’s Mathys Tel. (Photo by Mike Hewitt, Alex Grimm/Getty Images)Christopher Nkunku and Bayern’s Mathys Tel. (Photo by Mike Hewitt, Alex Grimm/Getty Images)

That €70m is just unrealistic – given Tel is going to earn them about €50m, it would mean Bayern paying €20m for an older player. That’s not generally how they operate. However a loan move is also apparently a possibility, which would allow Nkunku to play, Bayern to fill the gap in their squad and Chelsea to get a presumably healthy loan fee and the attacker’s wages covered.

If all goes well, it would set things up for a permanent move in the summer. There are just a couple of days left in this window, and it’s increasingly hard to imagine a big transfer having time to get over the line – but a loan is always quicker to sort, so keep your eyes peeled.