Chelsea on cusp of Garnacho and Xavi Simons double transfer but rely on £52m forgotten man

Chelsea's pursuits of Xavi Simons and Alejandro Garnacho are reportedly hinging on the sale of wantaway forward Christopher Nkunku. The Frenchman is not a part of Enzo Maresca's plans this season, and the arrivals of Joao Pedro and Liam Delap has highlighted how far out of favour he has fallen at Stamford Bridge.

Nkunku has struggled with fitness and form since joining the Blues from RB Leipzig two seasons ago in a deal worth £52million, and Chelsea are hoping to recoup a portion of that fee back before they can continue splashing the cash.

Maresca has welcomed a host of new arrivals to his ranks over the past few months, but the former Leicester City boss feels that his rebuild is not yet complete. Instead, he is eyeing reinforcements at both ends of the pitch to ensure that he feels his team are ready to compete on all fronts.

Chelsea are keen to bring in another winger to compete with new signing Jamie Gittens for a starting spot on the left wing, and Manchester United's Garnacho has been shortlisted as a top target for the role. Similarly, a versatile forward who can play anywhere across the frontline is also a priority, and talks are therefore ongoing over a deal for RB Leipzig's Simons.

However, The Guardian reports that Chelsa are waiting to sell Nkunku before accelerating talks with both of the aforementioned stars. Bayern Munich were previously pushing to strike a deal for the 27-year-old, and they tabled a loan offer with an option to buy last weekend.

However, the Blues rejected the offer as they are looking to sell Nkunku permanently, and therefore talks have stalled between the clubs. This has opened the door for the ex-PSG star's former club Leipzig to make their approach though.

The Bundesliga outfit have 'stepped up their efforts' to bring Nkunku back to the club, and the player himself is said to be open to returning to the Red Bull Arena. All parties are growing in confidence over a deal, but there is not a concrete agreement in place at this stage.

Chelsea will be hoping that they are able to negotiate a deal with Leipzig sooner rather than later though, with the higher powers at Stamford Bridge opting against bringing in any more new signings until Nkunku - as well as some of their other fringe players - is moved on.