Nkunku Transfer Shock: Milan and Roma in Swap Talks for Soule

Ruben Amorim has wasted little time putting his stamp on Milan – and Christopher Nkunku is paying the price.

Less than two weeks before the transfer window shuts, the French forward has been placed on the transfer list, a move that has raised eyebrows across Serie A. Once a pre-season favourite at Milanello, Nkunku now finds himself training on the fringes of the first team, his status reduced from potential pillar to expendable asset in a matter of weeks.

That kind of sudden availability does not go unnoticed. Roma have moved quickly.

Calcio Mercato report that the Giallorossi are tracking Nkunku’s situation closely, sensing an opportunity to pounce on a player they have admired for some time. The capital club are hunting for attacking reinforcements, and this is a profile they know inside out.

Roma return for an old obsession

Roma’s interest is anything but new.

Back in January, Gian Piero Gasperini identified Nkunku as the ideal piece to strengthen his left-sided attacking options. The then-Chelsea man, now at Milan, was seen as the perfect tactical fit – versatile, incisive, and capable of operating between the lines or wider on the flank.

The problem? Both the player and the Rossoneri hierarchy slammed the door shut. Milan refused to entertain offers, and Nkunku was not keen on a mid-season switch. The idea died there.

The admiration, though, never faded.

Despite that failed winter move, Roma’s view of the 28-year-old has remained unchanged. He is still seen as a high-level solution in the final third, and with their pursuit of Rodrigo Mora stalling, sporting director Tony D’Amico is ready to go back to an old target with renewed conviction.

This time, the context is different. Milan are listening.

A swap that suits everyone on paper

Asromalive report that the talks taking shape could lead to one of the more intriguing deals of the Italian summer: Nkunku to Roma, Matías Soulé to Milan.

Soulé would not be a throw-in. He would be the key.

The Argentine attacker has long been on Milan’s shortlist as they look to upgrade their attacking midfield options. His creativity, ability to drift inside, and eye for the final pass have made him a coveted name at Casa Milan. Including him as a direct makeweight instantly changes the complexion of negotiations.

For Milan, the logic is obvious. They would move on a high-earning, out-of-favour forward and bring in a younger, technically gifted attacker who fits Amorim’s ideas.

For Roma, the equation is just as clear. They would finally land the left-sided attacker Gasperini wanted, a player already judged to be tactically compatible with the coach’s system.

On a purely sporting level, it looks like a deal that solves two problems at once. Two big clubs, two specific needs, one straight swap.

The numbers line up – almost

On valuation, there is rare alignment.

Both clubs are said to rate their attackers in a similar bracket, around €35m to €40m. That removes one of the usual flashpoints in such negotiations. There is no vast gap to bridge, no drawn-out haggling over market price.

The real issue lies elsewhere: wages.

Nkunku is on a significantly richer contract than Soulé. Reports suggest the Argentine earns just over half of the Frenchman’s salary, creating a sizeable financial gap that cannot be ignored. Any swap would require either Roma to stretch their wage structure, Milan to contribute in some form, or the players themselves to compromise.

With the deadline approaching, that is where the deal will be won or lost.

A race against the clock

Time is not on anyone’s side.

With the window ticking towards closure, Milan and Roma are under pressure to thrash out a structure that keeps both balance sheets intact and both dressing rooms happy. A complex package – involving salary adjustments, bonuses, or staggered payments – will likely be needed to get it over the line.

For Amorim, moving Nkunku would clear space for a player he actually wants at the heart of his project. For Gasperini, it would finally deliver the forward he earmarked months ago.

Now the question is simple: can two of Serie A’s heavyweights turn a neat idea on paper into a real transfer before the clock runs out?