3 ways Allegri can fit new Milan signing Nkunku into his starting XI

Christopher Nkunku at a press conference (acmilan.com)

New Milan signing Christopher Nkunku is pushing to be available for Massimiliano Allegri as soon as possible, but much has been made of the Frenchman’s signing and where he is expected to fit into the Rossoneri line-up. Here are three ways that the €43m forward can fit in alongside Christian Pulisic and Rafael Leao. 

Milan completed the signing of Nkunku from Chelsea on the final day of the summer transfer window. The Rossoneri secured a permanent deal for a fixed fee in the region of €38m, plus bonuses of around €4m-€5m. 

He was one of nine new Milan signings during the summer transfer window, arriving alongside Luka Modric, Ardon Jashari, Samuele Ricci, Adrien Rabiot, Pervis Estupinan, Koni De Winter, Zachary Athekame and Pietro Terracciano. 

Where will Nkunku play for Milan? 

Milan were expected to bring in a new centre-forward for most of the summer transfer window, but Nkunku, more of a second striker, winger or trequartista, was the closest they came. 

He is expected to be competing for positions in the Milan line-up alongside the likes of Pulisic, Leao and Santiago Gimenez. 

So far this season, Allegri has opted for two different variations of a back three system. He has utilised both a 3-5-2, initially with Leao and Pulisic in attack, and later a 3-4-2-1, most recently with Alexis Saelemaekers and Ruben Loftus-Cheek playing in the supporting roles behind Gimenez at centre-forward. 

As per TMW and La Gazzetta dello Sport, Nkunku is likely to play as one of the two centre-forwards in a 3-5-2, likely alongside Leao or Gimenez. 

In a 3-4-2-1, he is more likely to play in one of the trequartista roles, likely alongside Pulisic or Saelemaekers, and likely playing behind Leao at centre-forward. 

There is also a chance that Allegri elects to switch to a 3-4-1-2 system at some stage of the season, in which case, Nkunku is capable of playing either as a centre-forward, like he would in a 3-5-2, or in the trequartista role behind a different combination of Rossoneri strikers.