Nkunku on Transfer List: Roma's Pursuit Intensifies

Ruben Amorim has wasted little time putting his stamp on Milan. One of his boldest calls so far? Placing Christopher Nkunku on the transfer list.

With less than two weeks left before the summer window slams shut, the Portuguese coach has delivered his updated list of expendable players to the club’s hierarchy. Nkunku’s name is on it – and that has sent a jolt through Serie A.

The 28-year-old Frenchman, once a headline arrival and initially a favourite in the early days of pre-season, now finds himself working on the fringes at Milanello, away from the core group. The early spark between player and coach has clearly dimmed.

Roma have noticed.

Roma circle as Nkunku falls out of favour

According to Calcio Mercato, Nkunku’s sudden availability has immediately drawn interest from the capital. Roma have been tracking the situation closely, sensing an opening to strengthen their attack.

This is not a new crush. Roma’s admiration for the former Chelsea forward goes back months. During the January window, Gian Piero Gasperini identified Nkunku as the ideal tactical piece for his system, especially on the left side of the attack. He pushed hard. The player resisted. So did Milan’s hierarchy. The move never got close.

The rejection did not cool Roma’s view of him. If anything, it reinforced it. Now, with their pursuit of Rodrigo Mora stalling, sporting director Tony D’Amico is readying another push, this time with the conditions very different.

Nkunku is no longer untouchable at Milan. He is on the market.

Soule the key to a blockbuster swap

Asromalive report that the deal on the table could be far more complex than a straight cash offer. A swap is being discussed, with Argentine attacker Soule as the central makeweight.

For Milan, Soule is not a throw-in. He is a target. The Argentine has been high on their recruitment list as they look to add creativity and end product in the attacking midfield zone. Slotting him into a direct exchange with Nkunku would tick a lot of boxes for the Rossoneri.

From a purely sporting perspective, the logic is clear. Amorim would move on from a player who no longer fits his plans and bring in a younger, adaptable attacking talent. Gasperini, on the other hand, would finally land the left-sided forward he has been chasing for months. Two coaches, two clear ideas, one potential solution.

On the financial side, the numbers also line up – at least at first glance. Both clubs are said to value their players in a similar bracket, roughly between €35m and €40m. That removes one of the usual stumbling blocks in high-profile swaps.

The wage gap that could derail everything

The real problem lies elsewhere. Nkunku’s salary.

Soule currently earns just over half of what Nkunku is on at Milan. That gap is not a minor detail; it is the central obstacle. Any agreement would require Roma either to stretch their wage structure or to construct a heavily incentivised deal to bring the figures closer together. Milan, for their part, would need to align Soule’s contract with their own internal scales.

With the deadline racing into view, the room for drawn-out negotiations is shrinking fast. The framework is there: similar valuations, mutual interest, and two coaches who see clear tactical benefits. The question is whether Roma and Milan can bend their financial models enough, and quickly enough, to turn a neat idea on paper into one of the window’s most intriguing transfers.