Arsenal and Liverpool have been dealt a blow in their pursuit of RB Leipzig playmaker Christopher Nkunku.
Nkunku has been heavily linked with both Premier League sides in recent times but Leipzig chief executive Oliver Mintzlaff has claimed that the Frenchman won't be leaving the Bundesliga outfit anytime soon.
Speaking to Sky Deutschland, Mintzlaff said: "He [Nkunku] will also play with us next season because of course he is a very important player.
"In football nothing is ever certain, but that's our plan."
Mintzlaffalso then went on to say that Spanish midfielder Dani Olmo and Portuguese attacker Andre Silva will also be staying at the Red Bull Arena.
He continued: "Of course, players like Dani Olmo, Nkunku or Andre Silva are very, very important pillars who can and should continue to develop with us."
Nkunku, who is valued at £49.5million by Transfermarkt, has enjoyed an extremely productive season with the German side, notching 17 goals and providing a further eight assists in just 28 games across the Bundesliga and UEFA Champions League.
The former Paris Saint-Germain star has been linked with a move to the Emirates Stadium since January 2019, when former Arsenal boss Unai Emery was said to be keen to bring him to north London.
According to a report from the Evening Standard, the Gunners wanted Nkunku before signing Denis Suarez on loan instead.
Suarez endured a difficult time with the north Londoners, failing to make a single Premier League start before his loan eventually expired.
