Christopher Nkunku: The Arsenal target inspired by Marco Verratti and versatile enough to replace Neymar

Christopher Nkunku: The Arsenal target inspired by Marco Verratti and versatile enough to replace Neymar
Arsenal are reportedly keen on landing Paris Saint-Germain midfield starlet Christopher Nkunku as they look to add to their midfield options.Sevilla ace Ever Banega and Barcelona star Denis Suarez had previously been linked during the transfer window but now it’s Nkunku, who came to the fore at PSG under current Gunners boss Unai Emery, who is their target.4

Paris Saint-Germain ace Christopher Nkunku could be on the way to Arsenal.

L’Equipe reported on the possibility of the transfer on Thursday, stating the player knew of the Premier League side’s interest in a loan deal with an option to buy and was interested in the proposal given his lack of minutes in recent months.And David Ornstein firmed up the speculation, in a tweet later in the day, which casts doubts on whether the move would ultimately be made permanent, but revealed his belief the club see him as Aaron Ramsey’s potential successor.

As per @lequipe Arsenal in talks to sign Christopher Nkunku. Early days & complex. #AFC want loan + option to buy, #PSG want cover + new contract pre-loan. Seems 21yo keen & not key to Tuchel plans. Seen as versatile + possible Ramsey successor. Full consensus among AFC hierarchy— David Ornstein (@bbcsport_david) January 24, 2019

But who is Nkunku and what can he offer the Gunners if he does sign for the club, on loan or permanently? talkSPORT.com takes a look.

Christopher Nkunku factfile

Name: Christopher Alan NkunkuBorn: November 14, 1997Club: Lagny-sur-MarneLeague appearances/goals: 46/6Honours: Ligue 1 – 2015/16 and 2017/18Coupe de France – 2015/16 and 2016/17Coupe de la Ligue – 2016/17 and 2017/18Trophee des Champions 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018International: France Under-21s – Six caps and one goal

Parisienne Walkways

Born in the same suburb of Paris as Paul Pogba, but unlike the Manchester United star, Nkunku was selected to go to the famous French training centre, Clairefontaine, which has helped produced some of the finest footballers in recent times, like Kylian Mbappe, Thierry Henry, and Blaise Matuidi.There he honed his skills while training with Paris Saint-Germain at weekend, this after his spells as a youth with AS Marolles andRCP Fontainebleau.

Changes

He was once famed for his slight frame but matured and grew in stature both mentally and physically as he developed his style, transforming form winger to central midfielder.Formerly a dribbling wide man, he moved inside and showed ability not only as a progressive central star but also as a capable holder, while his vision impressed as he made almost 20 assists in his first campaign with the club’s Under-19s.

View this post on Instagram Bac en poche maintenant on se prpare pour une nouvelle saison #TeamPsg #Pros A post shared by Christopher Nkunku (@c_nkunku24) on Jul 9, 2015 at 4:55am PDT

Blanc slate and playing alongside his idol

It was in 2015/16 when Nkunku first came to the attention of many when he was involved with the senior side’s first pre-season training camp.He impressed manager Laurent Blanc with his abilities and found himself given a chance to showcase his skills against Austria Vienna in a friendly, which the French side won 3-0 with fellow teen talent Jean-Kevin Augustin scoring twice and Serge Aurier netting.His manager noted: “Immediately, I noticed the ease of his technique and I think I wasnt alone.”He went on to feature during their tour of America, as one of few non-professional youth players, where he played against both Chelsea and Manchester United, while also briefly playing alongside his idol Marco Verratti.Of his time on the tour, he told Get Football News France: “By living on a daily basis alongside Ibrahimovic, Thiago Silva or David Luiz, I saw the way that they work and how they prepare for each match. That is where you see that they really are professionals, so I am taking their example. They have a career behind them whereas we are just starting out.4

Christopher Nkunku in action against Manchester United star Antonio Valencia in 2015.

“We are enchanted, happy and excited to be with them whilst they are simply doing their job. And we see that their job, it is really something else. Football is a job. It is a sport but it is above all, a job.“I told myself that I was in a great club and that I was lucky to be playing, to have entered into this group and to be training with these players. Above all I wanted to make my mark. The players put me at ease very quickly by talking to me a lot.“That made me feel confident and during each training session I tried to give the best of myself to show Laurent Blanc that I was capable of doing lots of things and that I could put myself in contention to have some playing time as well in Ligue 1.”

@c_nk97 pic.twitter.com/ZgD4Ykhz3d— Kylian Mbapp (@KMbappe) October 30, 2017

Development and first-team integration

He made his senior debut on December 8, 2015 as he replaced Lucas Moura in PSG’s Champions League clash with Shakhtar Donetsk, featuring for three minutes, and a professional contract followed, along with more time amongst the first-team squad.Nkunku also excelled with the club’s Under-19s in the UEFA Youth League and put on a stunning show against Real Madrid, scoring twice and playing a crucial role in a 4-1 win.He did though have some issues with his discipline which his agentJos-Karl Pierre-Fafan puts down to the fact his small physique meant he had to fight a lot harder than most to keep possession until he sufficiently strengthened his body, a quality Pierre-Farfan believes he shares with Verratti.Nkunku himself compared his stature and style to the Italian: “I am similar to him because I am pint-sized. I love to play football and it is when I have the ball at my feet that one can see my qualities, like Marco Verratti,” he said.4

Nkunku celebrates his goal against Troyes with Dani Alves.

Breakthrough

In the middle of the 2016/17 campaign, new boss Unai Emery was forced to turn to Nkunku as injuries enveloped his squad and he was used both on the left wing and in central roles, with his versatility and earning praise from his coach.He said: “We are very happy with him.He’s a player who listens.It’s very important.He listens and does everything he is asked. He listens to everyone.He has the qualities.He is told to play on the left, he plays on the left. Headapts to the way the team needs him.”By 2017/18, Nkunku was a regular in the first-team, providing Ligue 1 rotation for the club’s Champions League aces but by the end of the year he was starting in a number of positions, including both wings and his usual central midfield role.4

Nkunku celebrates with idol Marco Verratti.

In March 2018, he deputised for Neymar against Troyes and scored in a 2-0 victory, a collection of smart passes and dribbles were mixed in with some possession loss as his team-mates helped him through. But his confidence remained, as he showed with a saved overhead kick and a cool finish in the second half.He wasn’t finished there and in the next match against Metz he impressed in a more central role, scoring twice, once with his right foot and once with his weaker left foot, while he was denied a perfect hat-trick in the 5-0 victory with a disallowed header at the back post.The double I scored was a real joy, especially since Ive not had much playing time this season,” he said after the match. “I knew that sooner or later, this chance would come. I hope I can continue to take it.

This season

With Emery departing in the summer and Thomas Tuchel taking over, though, Nkunku hasn’t been able to continue.After plenty of action early in the campaign as the German got used to his new squad and filtered his World Cup stars in slowly, the 21-year-old has found himself back on the periphery and he been on the bench for the last three Ligue 1 games without making it onto the pitch.As his progression stalls, it’s easy to understand why the talent would fancy playing under Emery, a coach who showed faith in him and appreciated his qualities and his versatility.

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