Chelsea: £53m move 'accelerated' after major Boehly call at Stamford Bridge

Chelsea have ‘accelerated’ their pursuit of RB Leipzig star Christopher Nkunku since Thomas Tuchel left Stamford Bridge, according to journalist Simon Phillips.

Blues co-owner Todd Boehly made the big decision to sack Tuchel earlier this month and Graham Potter was named as the German’s successor just 24 hours later.

According to respected German journalist Christian Falk, Nkunku has already undergone a medical in Frankfurt ahead of potentially joining Chelsea next summer.

The Bild reporter suggests the west Londoners will have to fork out close to £53million in order to meet the release clause written into the eight-cap France international’s Leipzig contract.

It is understood that Chelsea have already put Nkunku through tests as they wanted to steal a march on their rivals and he is seemingly keen on a switch to Stamford Bridge.

The 24-year-old attacker beat the likes of Erling Haaland and Robert Lewandowski to the Bundesliga player of the season award last term.

Nkunku has built on that success by scoring six goals and registering a further assist in his first 11 appearances of the new campaign.

Phillips understands that Nkunku was on Chelsea’s radar during the summer transfer window but a move was not possible as he did not want to work with Tuchel.

The journalist is aware that the Frenchman did not enjoy playing under the former Blues chief during their time at Paris Saint-Germain.

Phillips told GIVEMESPORT: “Chelsea went for him in the summer. Obviously, at that time, Thomas Tuchel was still in charge and I’m told that Nkunku wasn’t keen on working with Tuchel again.

“They worked together for a short time at PSG and they didn’t have a good relationship so, as soon as Tuchel left, everything accelerated with his