Christopher Nkunku: A Supreme Midfield Talent Who Is Capable of Leading France's Next Generation
Christopher Nkunku: A Supreme Midfield Talent Who Is Capable of Leading France's Next Generation
It's fair to say that the Red Bull franchise have a knack for nurturing some of football's most promising talents.
Whether it's RB Salzburg or Leipzig, Erling Braut Haaland or Timo Werner, they sure as hell know how to make the most of what they've got, and develop some of the world-beating household names that fuel gazillions of gossip columns across the internet.
It appears there is no stopping Red Bull conquering the modern transfer market, and their latest rising star - Christopher Nkunku - looks set to wreak havoc on the Bundesliga for the foreseeable future, tearing up Germany's top tier with Leipzig.
Now, you might be thinking: "Nkunku wasn't good enough for Paris Saint-Germain, so why the hell should we take him seriously as one of the world's best young talents?"
Well, there is some truth in that.
Nkunku broke through PSG's academy at a young age, going on to make 78 appearances for the Parisians, but registering just 11 goals and four assists - hardly the tally of an up and coming starlet.
But, while the 22-year-old struggled to find his feet in and amongst the sea of superstars in the French capital, Nkunku has found comfort in an unassuming Leipzig team.
Under the tutelage of the revolutionary Julian Nagelsmann - who is only ten years older than his midfield dynamo - the former PSG man has thrived since his summer move, and now comfortably sits at the heart of one of Germany's most exciting sides.
While Nkunku may opt to focus on his future rather than his past, it's clear to see that the midfielder has learned a thing or two from the likes of Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and Marco Verratti.
The youngster has a swagger to his play, gliding through the midfield with the elegance and grace associated with his former teammates, but also showcasing the ferocity and determination needed to succeed in an industrious Leipzig team.
Similarly to his former colleagues in France, Nkunku undoubtedly has an eye for the spectacular, seldom netting an 'ordinary' goal, with his juggled solo effort against Bayer Leverkusen highlighting this best.
However, despite having scored some stupendous goals during his short career so far, his ability to provide for others is what makes him an integral cog in Leipzig's swashbuckling side.
The midfielder has registered 14 assists in the Bundesliga this term - sitting only behind Thomas Muller and Jadon Sancho in the rankings - and has proved a consistent provider for top scorer, and potentially Liverpool-bound, Timo Werner. Nkunku has the ability to thread a pass through the eye of a needle, often supplying teammates in remarkable fashion and with unrivalled vision.
During Leipzig's 5-0 demolition of Schalke in late February, Nkunku registered four assists for four different players, rightly scooping the man of the match award and making even the most ardent Nkunku doubters (if there are any) eat some seriously bitter humble pie.
The strong performances of Nkunku, along with Konrad Laimer and Marcel Sabitzer, in midfield have helped Die Roten Bullen up to third in the league table, leaving the talented upstarts with a real chance of ending Bayern Munich's Bundesliga dominance.
Not only does Nkunku's rise to stardom look promising for Leipzig and the future of the Red Bull dynasty, but Didier Deschamps will be licking his lips at the prospect of another globetrotting and expressive central midfielder within France's esteemed ranks.
With Euro 2020 on the horizon, and the opportunity for the Blues to win a second successive major tournament, France are once again in a promising position ahead of Europe's finest international competition.
However, one area in which Deschamps' side look slightly less assured than they did two years ago at the World Cup in Russia is midfield.
The ever-present N'Golo Kante remains one of the world's best defensive-midfielders, but injury has plagued the Chelsea man's campaign from day one of the 2019/20 season, while the marmite figure of Paul Pogba has barely kicked a ball this term for Manchester United.
Tanguy Ndombele's big-money move to Tottenham has already seen him thrown under many a bus by the toxic Jose Mourinho - partly due to injury - and Corentin Tolisso and Blaise Matuidi aren't hitting the lofty heights expected of them at Bayern and Juventus respectively.
With France's midfield options uncertain, and many players' place on the plane in jeopardy due to injury, Nkunku could fill an ever-growing void in Deschamps' team. The Blues are potentially lacking creativity and ingenuity in the centre of the park, and Nkunku can provide a more than adequate solution to France's midfield dilemmas.