Tottenham appear to be targeting playmaking stars in the summer 2025 transfer window in order to add more attacking juice to a team that didn't have a single player with double-digit assists and just one, Brennan Johnson, with at least 10 goals.
For the most part, their search has focused on young up-and-comers like Rayan Cherki of Lyon and even RB Leipzig's underrated Xavi Simons, but Tottenham are also looking at big names in the Premier League in the prime of their careers like Crystal Palace's Eberechi Eze.
And it looks like Tottenham fans can add another one to the list. According to a report from talkSPORT's Alex Crook and Ben Jacobs, Tottenham are among the Premier League clubs that have enquired Chelsea with an interest in attacking midfielder Christopher Nkunku. Spurs are said to be the English side most concretely interested in the Frenchman, and while the player has been linked with moves outside of the Premier League, he is reportedly open to staying in England, too.
Tottenham could sign a former Ballon d'Or candidate
Nkunku has been shopped by Chelsea since the winter transfer window, as he has clearly not figured into Enzo Maresca's plans. Maresca has improved the Blues markedly this season, taking them from the Premier League's biggest disappointment back to the Champions League, and Chelsea also won a notable trophy, beating Real Betis 4-1 to take home the Conference League honors.
The 27-year-old joined Chelsea in 2023 from RB Leipzig for 60 million euros, which was actually significantly below his market value. Nkunku was so good in Leipzig that he not only led the team to their first major trophy with a DFB Pokal victory in 2022, but he was also the Bundesliga Player of the Season above the likes of Bayern Munich legend Robert Lewandowski.
A legitimate Ballon d'Or candidate in Germany, Nkunku has been a disaster in England due to a bevy of injuries and an inability to get into the starting lineup under a revolving door of coaches who don't seem to value him. When he does play, Nkunku has shown that he is at the level of a Premier League playmaker with his athleticism, creativity, and high footballing IQ.
In the Bundesliga, Nkunku could do it all, and if the price is right, he could be a strong signing for Tottenham as a secondary playmaking option to James Maddison with the additional versatility to start on either wing or even as a center forward, which was arguably his strongest position in Leipzig.
While Nkunku isn't without his flaws and has both a concerning injury record and a poor 2024/25 campaign on his docket, he could be a low-risk, high-upside signing with the additional benefit of giving Tottenham some bragging rights over Chelsea.