Manchester United keeping tabs on Chelsea star as Blues weighing up options ahead of possible move for Garnacho: Reports

Manchester United have reportedly enquired about the status of Chelsea forward Christopher Nkunku for a potential transfer. The Red Devils have had to endure a tough campaign with goals drying up in crucial periods this season.

As per ESPN (via MUFCMPB on X), United have requested Chelsea to keep them updated on the status of Nkunku and the developments surrounding him. The context behind this comes from the rumors that the French forward is a subject of interest for Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain (as per PSG Talk).

The Blues are also reportedly involved in a transfer deal with Manchester United over the possibility of signing Alejandro Garnacho. As per Fabrizio Romano, they have moved ahead after speaking with the player and have established contact with the Red Devils with plans to send in their first bid.

Adding Garnacho to their rank would give Chelsea plenty of options. This could potentially open further possibilities of them selling Nkunku this month, which is where Manchester United might come in.

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Chelsea and Manchester United are experiencing contrasting seasons

Chelsea went through a few years of turmoil under the new ownership of BlueCo, who took over in the summer of 2022. However, they are now beginning to look like a more organized unit this season.

While there are still plenty of cracks left to be addressed, the Blues have worked their way to the fourth spot in the Premier League. They also maintain a 100% record in the UEFA Europa Conference League and are in the FA Cup fourth round.

Enzo Maresca's debut season has seen its fair share of downs but the ups have been more in numbers. The Blues sit ahead of the likes of Newcastle United, Aston Villa, and Manchester City in the league table.

In comparison, Manchester United who finished last season on a high with the FA Cup triumph, made a poor start under Erik ten Hag. The Dutchman was subsequently fired by the club. They brought in Portuguese tactician Ruben Amorim, who has had to weather a storm of six league defeats in 11 games. United's latest league defeat left them languishing in 13th place and in urgent need of improvement.

The Red Devils did manage to secure a 2-1 win against Rangers in the UEFA Europa League. They also beat Arsenal in the FA Cup third round on penalties to keep their hopes of alive of defending the domestic cup.

The two teams played out a 1-1 draw earlier in the season at Old Trafford when United were under caretaker manager Ruud Van Nistelrooy.