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Christopher Nkunku has revealed his love for AC Milan, and also shed some light on why he encountered difficulties at first.
Nkunku was the last signing that Milan made in the summer transfer window and the management chose to invest heavily in him, agreeing a deal with Chelsea widely reported to be worth north of €38m if bonuses are met.
It certainly took some time for the Frenchman to get going. After scoring against Lecce in the Coppa Italia, he remained without a league goal until the last game of 2025, when he netted a brace against Verona. Now, he is the top scorer in 2026 so far, and seems to have a place in the line-up locked in.
Nkunku talks life at Milan, form and the derby
Nkunku has given an interview to La Gazzetta dello Sport in which he spoke about his start to life at Milan, as well as those rumours about the future and his desire to win.
Can we consider the two goals you scored against Verona the turning point of your season?
“Honestly, they made me very happy, but my goal was and is to be in good condition.”
How much did not having done the summer preseason affect your performance?
“A lot. It’s like a journalist doing an interview without preparing the questions… It was difficult for me because I’ve never missed a pre-season, and next summer I’ll do everything I can to ensure it doesn’t happen again: if you don’t do pre-season, you don’t have 4-5 friendlies to get back into shape.”
How much did you suffer from your goal drought in Serie A?
“I tried to stay calm because I know my quality and I knew the goals would come: it was just a matter of time and condition. If you play in attack, you have to score because that’s your job.
“I still think I helped the team in other ways, but if you provide an assist or a goal… it’s more evident. The most important thing, however, is to win and do what Allegri asks.”
Allegri said in December: ‘Nkunku needs to stay calm and smile more’. Now you are doing both…
“When the coach says something, you have to embrace it because he has so much experience. At that moment, more than smiling, I was in my own world trying to be ready. But yes, when you smile and see things positively, everything changes.”
Are you feeling 100% now, or can you still grow?
“I feel better than I did at the beginning because after the brace against Verona and a couple of games missed due to an ankle problem, I was able to start a few games in a row and that helped me.”
In three of your last four seasons he has exceeded 10 goals and once at RB Leipzig you hit 35. What is your aim this year?
“Let’s not talk about numbers. My goal is always to capitalize on the chances I get to score: if I have 10-12, my focus is on scoring 10-12 goals. To do that, I have to continue to adapt to the league, which is different from the others I’ve played in.”
What is the main difference between Serie A, Bundesliga, Ligue 1, and the Premier League?
“Here the teams are tactically very well prepared, they don’t take many risks and they don’t leave any space.”
In the past, you played as a winger, an attacking midfielder and a centre-forward, a position you are often used in now. How do you feel about them?
“I’m focusing on what the manager asks of me and I think I can perform at my best even that way.”
You were highly sought after in January, but insisted on staying at Milan. Why?
“I never thought about leaving, that’s the point. My agent never mentioned any offers to me, so for me they were just rumours. And he knows me well: I never asked him to look elsewhere or talk to other clubs, because I just wanted to be ready to perform here at Milan.”
The speculation didn’t bother you?
“In my job, if you start listening to everyone, you can’t focus on what matters. One day they say you’re going there, the next they say you’re going there, but you’re just one person, you can’t be everywhere… I know where I want to be, and never mind if people talk.”
At Milanello with Maignan, Fofana and Rabiot, do you ever talk about the World Cup?
“Not much, because right now we’re all focused on winning here at Milan. The World Cup is coming up in three or four months, and if we perform at our best at the club, we’ll have a better chance of being called up.”
In 2022 you got injured before leaving for Qatar…
“It was sad. For every footballer, playing in a World Cup is a dream. Now I have to work to make it happen. France is very strong: we could have three teams and they would all be competitive to win, because we have well-functioning youth academies.”
In Bologna, after Loftus-Cheek’s goal, Rabiot came to cheer you up after the missed chance, instead of celebrating…
“He didn’t do it because we’re French: here at Milan, everyone helps each other. We’re a united group.”
Allegri claims this is the best Rabiot he’s seen. Do you agree?
“I’ve always known him like this, now maybe he’s just a little more decisive. Also because Allegri wants him to be more attacking, whereas before he played deeper. Adrien has a phenomenal shot and runs a lot.
“I think he can play 90 minutes every day because he never tires. And he’s at the peak of his career, between 29 and 31. He has no limits: he’s always pushing, on and off the pitch. He’s a beast.”
A video is circulating on social media: you back-heeling nutmeg on Bologna’s Zortea. It was like Ronaldinho…
“No, it was Christopher (laughs). Don’t compare me to Ronaldinho, he’s an icon. That was me, only me.”
From winning the World Cup with Chelsea last summer to Milan, in a season without European qualification: what drove you to come here?
“It’s simple: if Milan, which for me is the biggest club in Italy, calls you, 90% of the work is already done. Plus, I’ve realised that the club wants to win titles, and that’s my goal too.
“I’ve had the opportunity to lift trophies everywhere I’ve been, and I want to do the same here, at a club that was born to win.”
Tell us about your balloon celebration…
“It’s for my son. I wanted to do something new and I came up with this idea. I think he really likes it and I continue to do it. Didn’t I blow him away in Como? That was the 1-1 goal and there was no time to waste because we had to win.”
At PSG, you had Ibrahimovic on the team with you. What’s the difference between Zlatan as a team-mate and a director?
“Now I see him in a jacket, before in football boots. Apart from that, he hasn’t changed much: he still has his character and his desire to win.
“I remember once in training I made a mistake and my team, which also included Ibra, lost the training match. He didn’t say anything to me while it was still hot, but on the day of the league match, in the locker room, he called me: ‘We lost. Never again’.”
Maignan is excellent at saving penalties, you’re good at taking them. In training, who wins the match?
“I’d say 50-50. Mike helped us get points. He has great leadership, and in the locker room, when he opens his mouth, everyone listens: he always speaks for the good of the team. Like a true captain.
“We couldn’t tell him ‘stay, stay,’ but now that he’s renewed his contract, we’re more relaxed: it’s a good thing for the club that he’s staying.”
You have played with many champions in his career, but have you ever found someone like Modric?
“Luka is amazing: he has unique quality and makes incredible outside passes. If I try, my hip will dislocate… It’s incredible that he’s 40, but he can play until he’s 45 or 46.”
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What will you do at 40?
“If my body wants, I’ll play. I love football.”
Who is faster between you and Leao?
“On the long distances maybe Rafa; on the shorter ones, maybe me.”
Inter are eight points clear at the top of the league. Aren’t you thinking about the Scudetto?
“Our goal is to finish in the top four and qualify for the Champions League. Now, though, we’ll take it game by game and see where we can go. We also have the derby, which is a special match.”
Is there a team that has impressed you more than the others so far?
“Como plays well with the ball and moves it around intelligently.”
Do you like Milan?
“The city is beautiful: I live near San Siro and I like it. And Milanello reminds me a bit of Clairefontaine, where I spent two years as a youngster, in the academy.”
At Leipzig you often scored from free kicks. Here at Milan you rarely take them. Why?
“There haven’t been many chances, and then when you arrive at a new club, there are already teammates who take them, and you have to adapt. We’ll see what we can do next time.”
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