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Chelsea Signs Christopher Nkunku from Leipzig on 6-Year Deal

French forward Christopher Nkunku gives a press conference during the preparation of the French squad for the upcoming UEFA Euro 2024 football tournament qualifying matches, in Clairefontaine in June 10, 2023. (AFP)
French forward Christopher Nkunku gives a press conference during the preparation of the French squad for the upcoming UEFA Euro 2024 football tournament qualifying matches, in Clairefontaine in June 10, 2023. (AFP)
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Chelsea Signs Christopher Nkunku from Leipzig on 6-Year Deal

French forward Christopher Nkunku gives a press conference during the preparation of the French squad for the upcoming UEFA Euro 2024 football tournament qualifying matches, in Clairefontaine in June 10, 2023. (AFP)
French forward Christopher Nkunku gives a press conference during the preparation of the French squad for the upcoming UEFA Euro 2024 football tournament qualifying matches, in Clairefontaine in June 10, 2023. (AFP)

Chelsea signed France forward Christopher Nkunku from Leipzig on a six-year contract on Tuesday.

The London club spent around $630 million last season and has got its latest recruitment drive up and running with the deal for the highly rated Nkunku. His contract starts on July 1.

”A big effort was made to bring me to the club and I am looking forward to meeting my new coach and teammates and showing the Chelsea supporters what I can do on the pitch," the 25-year-old Nkunku said.

Chelsea endured a miserable first year under new owners Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital. It recorded its lowest ever points total in the Premier League and missed out on qualification for Europe.

Managers Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter were discarded and club icon Frank Lampard returned in an interim role to see out the season. Former Tottenham coach Mauricio Pochettino has been appointed and charged with the responsibility of turning around Chelsea's fortunes.

Nkunku is expected to kick off another busy summer at Stamford Bridge.

“Christopher has proved himself one of the standout attacking players in European football over the past two seasons and will add quality, creativity and versatility to our squad,” Chelsea co-sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley said in a statement.

Nkunku has been capped 10 times by France and played for Paris Saint-Germain before joining Leipzig in 2019.

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Britain is Back in America’s Cup Final for the First Time in 60 years

INEOS Britannia, left, and Luna Rosa Prada Pirelli sailing teams compete during the Louis Vuitton Cup Final Day 7 at the Barcelona's coast, Spain, Friday, Oct. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)
INEOS Britannia, left, and Luna Rosa Prada Pirelli sailing teams compete during the Louis Vuitton Cup Final Day 7 at the Barcelona's coast, Spain, Friday, Oct. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)
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Britain is Back in America’s Cup Final for the First Time in 60 years

INEOS Britannia, left, and Luna Rosa Prada Pirelli sailing teams compete during the Louis Vuitton Cup Final Day 7 at the Barcelona's coast, Spain, Friday, Oct. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)
INEOS Britannia, left, and Luna Rosa Prada Pirelli sailing teams compete during the Louis Vuitton Cup Final Day 7 at the Barcelona's coast, Spain, Friday, Oct. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)

A British yacht is back in the America’s Cup finals for the first time since 1964 after INEOS Britannia finished off Italy’s Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli on Friday.

Britannia scored the winning point for a 7-4 series victory after a fast and flawless race that it finished 17 seconds ahead of Luna Rossa. Britannia claimed the Louis Vuitton Cup for being the best of five challengers.

The boat skippered by Olympic great Ben Ainslie will next face defender Team Emirates New Zealand in a first-to-seven wins series for the America’s Cup starting on Oct. 12.

Despite holding the most Olympic medals in sailing and having a rich maritime tradition, Britain has never won the biggest prize in the sport — a wait that runs back 173 years, according to The AP.

“One more to go boys!” Ainslie told his sailors, who shouted with joy as they crossed the finish line.

Britain has been chasing the America’s Cup ever since the schooner America won the race’s very first edition back in 1851 when it bested Royal Yacht Squadron in a loop around the Isle of Wight, with Queen Victoria herself in attendance. This is the 23rd time it has challenged for the Auld Mug, more than any other nation.

Now, it is the closest it has come to finally winning the cup in sixty years.

It will face a New Zealand team that has won the past two editions in 2017 and 2021. As defending champion in this truly winner-takes-all competition, the Kiwis got to choose the rules and the location of the regattas, so in theory they should have an edge that the Brits must overcome.

The British will have on their side the real racing experience over recent weeks. They have gone from outside threat to the fastest ship of the challenger’s fleet. Before racing started, New Zealand leader Grant Dalton said that he put both Luna Rossa and American Magic a notch above Britannia, but warned that the Brits could pull off a surprise.

That they did, delivering a nearly flawless Louis Vuitton finals series, while Luna Rossa’s chances were hurt by structural problems to their silver-hulled yacht.

The Britannia team has the financial backing of billionaire Jim Ratcliffe, who also bought into storied soccer club Manchester United this year. It has also benefitted from a partnership with the Mercedes Formula One team.

The British win over the Italians avenged a 7-1 loss to Luna Rossa in the same stage of the 2021 event in Auckland.

Only four nations have ever won the cup. After the 30 titles by American boats, New Zealand has won it three times, Switzerland twice and Australia once.