Why RB Leipzig's Christopher Nkunku is a superstar in the making
RB Leipzig's roster is full of exciting young players and while the likes of Timo Werner and Dayot Upamecano have gotten the most attention recently, one of the most important players in Julian Nagelsmann's team is Christopher Nkunku.
Having come through the ranks at Paris Saint-Germain, the Frenchman made the bold decision to move to Germany last year amid interest from European giants such as Arsenal and Liverpool. He signed for Die Roten Bullen in the summer of 2019 and has been instrumental in their title bid this season.
While he has always been considered a promising youngster, his performances this season have earned him plaudits across the globe. So, what makes the France U-21 international so special?
Goal Threat
Christopher Nkunku has been one of RB Leipzig's biggest attacking threats this season. With 13 assists to his name in the Bundesliga so far, he only sits behind Thomas Muller and Jadon Sancho as the third-best provider in the German top division. Add to that his tally of 5 goals and you have an extraordinary 18 goal contributions from 19 starts. For context, Kai Havertz, Marco Reus, and his team-mate Marcel Sabitzer have all contributed fewer goals than the Frenchman.
Movement and Passing
While goals are a big part of Nkunku's game, he is also proficient at moving the ball around and keeping the game flowing. His passing numbers have been impressive this season as he has completed 86.4 per cent of the passes he has attempted.
The youngster makes 2.7 key passes per game on average and completes 5.13 shot-creating actions per 90 minutes and 1.08 goal-creating actions per 90 minutes.
Versatility
Although he has primarily been deployed as an attacking midfielder, Christopher Nkunku can also play on either flank as a winger and even as a centre-forward. This versatility allows his manager to utilise him in a variety of systems and also ensures that he gets playing time in a squad with incredible depth in the midfield.
Having said that, Nagelsmann has used Nkunku as a super-sub on many occasions over the course of the season. He has been subbed eight times in the Bundesliga and has scored 2 goals and assisted 1 after coming off the bench.
Expert Opinions
While Christopher Nkunku's skill and technical ability are clear to see, many experts can also vouch for his talent and potential.
Former PSG head coach Laurent Blanc had this to say about the youngster:
"He came up from the youth team to help us, and given PSG’s strength, that can be difficult for a young player. But I noticed the ease of his technique and I don’t think I was alone. It was a nice surprise."
His agent and former PSG defender Jose-Karl Pierre-Fanfan also didn't hold back in his praise for him when he said:
"I was immediately drawn to him, even if he was playing youth football. It was immediately obvious that he had the DNA of a footballer. He was playing through the middle and was clearly a cut above. He wasted little and had perfect vision."
In conclusion, Christopher Nkunku seems like the real deal. He is comfortable on the ball, technically gifted and a real threat going forward. He has all the qualities required to become a superstar and if he can keep his head down and keep working hard, he is sure to become a world-beater in the next few years.