Christopher Nkunku
Ex-PSG midfielder firing up Leipzig’s title challenge
“I wouldn’t say it was easy for me to leave PSG, but I had to go for the sake of my development”
Amigratory flight across the Rhine last summer has worked wonders for the former Paris SaintGermain attacking midfielder, who recently underlined his importance to German title-chasers RB Leipzig with an incredible four assists in a 5-0 victory away at Schalke.
The 22-year-old Nkunku, who was on PSG’s books for almost a decade, rarely went beyond the role of first-team makeweight at Parc des Princes, only being deployed when bigger names were injured, suspended or rested.
But how his fortunes have improved since joining Leipzig in a €15million deal; starting regularly in the Bundesliga and Champions League and catching the eye with his dynamism and creativity. By late February he had set up no fewer than 13 goals in the league, which put him third in the Bundesliga assists chart behind Jadon Sancho of Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich’s Thomas Muller.
“I wouldn’t say it was easy for me to leave PSG,” he told Kicker magazine. “But I had to go for the sake of my development. I wasn’t playing enough in Paris. I made the right decision.
“The package here in Leipzig is perfect: the structures, the philosophy, the sporting objectives, the opportunities which young players have to grow at this club. Some opposing teams in Germany will just sit back and defend. However, most teams want to get on the front foot.
“What especially surprised me was the intensity here. You have a lot of sprints to make, particularly after losing possession. Together with the physicality of the game that makes the Bundesliga really tough.”
Word of his exploits in Germany has filtered back to France, where there is a growing call for a first call-up to the national squad.
France coach Didier Deschamps, who is a conservative by instinct, has rarely been one to embrace experimentation,
but he might just be tempted to take a chance on Nkunku.
Born and raised in Paris by Congolese parents, the youngster can play out wide on either flank and is equally comfortable as a second striker or a number 10. Such versatility screams Euro 2020 wild card.
Julian Nagelsmann must take a lot of the credit for the player’s explosion. Initially the Leipzig coach found the Frenchman a little too timid for his own good and was concerned that his new signing reserved his best performances for the training ground, often going into his shell on matchdays.
Nagelsmann made it clear he wanted him to accept more responsibility. Message received, understood and acted upon.