Christopher Nkunku
A
migratory flight
across the Rhine
last summer has
worked wonders
for the former
Paris Saint-
Germain 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,Ex-PSG midfielder firing up Leipzig’s title challenge
Creative...only
Sancho and Muller
had more assists“I wouldn’t say it was easy for me
to leave PSG, but I had to go for
the sake of my development”Headliners