Nkunku Set to Return to RB Leipzig, Leaving Newcastle Behind

Christopher Nkunku is steering his career back toward familiar ground, and Newcastle United look set to be left watching from a distance.

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the French forward has made it clear he favours a return to RB Leipzig rather than a move to the Premier League with Newcastle, with Milan prepared to let him go on loan with an option to buy.

Nkunku knows Leipzig inside out. He shone there between 2019 and 2023, built his reputation in the Bundesliga, and earned his big move to Chelsea from that platform. Now, after a single, underwhelming season at San Siro, the circle is close to closing.

Ruben Amorim does not see Nkunku as part of his plans for next season, and Milan have opened the door. Both Leipzig and Newcastle have held talks with the Rossoneri, but the race is already stretched out.

Gazzetta’s Milan reporter Luca Bianchin reports that the Magpies are “well behind” Leipzig in the chase for the former Chelsea man. Preference matters, and in this case the player’s choice appears to be tilting everything toward Saxony.

Milan invested heavily last summer: €37 million plus add-ons to bring Nkunku from the Blues. The return was modest. Eight goals in 35 competitive appearances, flashes of quality but nothing like the explosive numbers that once made him one of Europe’s most coveted forwards.

There were moments, though. On May 17, 2026, away to Genoa at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris, Nkunku stepped up and scored from the penalty spot in Serie A, a reminder of his composure and technique in high-pressure situations. Milan needed more of that version of Nkunku. It never quite arrived.

Now the solution looks pragmatic for all parties. As reported, Milan and Leipzig are expected to finalise a loan deal with an option to buy in the coming days. Leipzig would cover his €5 million salary for the 2026-27 season, easing Milan’s wage bill and giving the German club a low-risk route to rekindling a partnership that once thrived.

Newcastle, keen to add another attacking threat, remain in the background. Unless something dramatic changes, though, Nkunku’s next chapter seems destined to be written back in Leipzig, where he first became a star and now seeks to become one again.