Tottenham Hotspur now have another RB Leipzig star in their sights ahead of the summer transfer window...
What's the word?
According to Foot Mercato, Spurs are looking into the possibility of signing Christopher Nkunku, although they are facing major competition from their Premier League rivals, including Arsenal and Manchester United.
Interestingly, the 23-year-old midfield gem is represented by the same agent, Pini Zahavi, who brokered Jose Mourinho's appointment in north London. He also has Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg on his books.
Spurs have been heavily linked with Nkunku's current teammate Marcel Sabitzer, so perhaps Daniel Levy and co are assessing their options before next season.
Perfect replacement
Nkunku's vast skillset makes for great appeal for any interested suitor, although Spurs must ensure they win the race to seal his signature as he could well be the perfect replacement for Gareth Bale, who could return to Real Madrid following his season-long loan.
The young Frenchman is able to play in a wide variety of positions, featuring in no fewer than five different roles this season alone. His best position appears to be behind the striker, so his arrival could see Lucas Moura revert back to his natural wide berth, in turn replacing Bale.
Speaking about his versatility, Leipzig coach Julien Nagelsmann - the reported number one target to succeed Mourinho in the future - told Bundesliga.com:
"Christopher can play as a box-to-box midfielder, No.10, winger, striker. He's versatile and has real quality in attacking one-on-ones. He also fits perfectly with our transfer DNA as a young player with great potential who can take steps forward, just like us as a club. He's hungry for success and we're glad to have him on board."
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Last season, the former PSG whizzkid picked up a reputation of being an 'assist king' as he notched a tally of 15 in the league, and 16 in all competitions, as per Transfermarkt. Nkunku has since added goals to his armoury this term, providing seven strikes and eight assists across the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal and the Champions League.
Dubbed "one of the most dangerous players in the league", the 23-year-old dynamo has certainly delivered, ranking as not only Leipzig's star performer with an average WhoScored rating of 7.27, but he also sits in the top 15 in the Bundesliga, grading above the likes of Leon Bailey, Serge Gnabry and even Sabitzer.
The £36m-rated Nkunku would surely arrive for a far cheaper outlay than keeping Bale around for another season, especially as Levy is currently paying roughly £240,000 (40%) of his extortionate £600,000-per-week wages, as per football.london.
By comparison, it's thought that the France under-21 international is earning just €40,000 per week (£34,000-a-week) at the Red Bull Arena, which would currently put him bottom of Spurs' payroll.
Bale has somewhat delivered in north London, with five goals and two assists in the Premier League, but Nkunku has age and finances on his side here, if not being a complete upgrade for the long-term.
Levy could secure Spurs a perfect replacement for the Welshman this summer by swooping for the RB Leipzig sensation.
AND in other news, £26m-rated Spurs star was hugely anonymous with fewer touches than Lloris in Newcastle draw...