As 2023 comes to a close, Chelsea will reflect on arguably their worst year in Premier League history, when taking into account the money that they spent and where it landed them. The Blues splashed the cash in the last 12 months, but it was to no avail. Even after a busy summer transfer window and the addition of former Paris Saint-Germain boss Mauricio Pochettino, they remain stranded in 10th.
Their most recent victory – a 3-2 thriller against Luton Town – at least handed Chelsea some hope ahead of next year, and the potential addition of one particular forward target could lead to things finally turning around at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea transfer news
The London giants attempted to finally put an end to their striker problem in the summer, welcoming both Nicolas Jackson and Christopher Nkunku. Jackson, however, has scored just seven Premier League goals, with three of those coming in one game against Tottenham Hotspur. Meanwhile, Nkunku has only just made his return from injury and needs time before his impact can be judged. With the former heading off for international duty at the Africa Cup of Nations with Senegal in January, however, Chelsea may need to turn to the transfer window no matter what, which could see them land a solution for Pochettino.
According to The Sun, Chelsea are lining up a move to sign Girona forward Artem Dovbyk, who could be sold for around £39m. If the Blues manage to make room for the forward through the departure of Armando Broja, then they could land the potential solution to their goalscoring problems, with Pochettino impressed with the striker’s 6ft 2 physical profile.
Dovbyk, of course, is part of a Girona side gunning for a shock La Liga title win and has more than played an important role in that title pursuit. With Chelsea reportedly interested, however, it remains to be seen whether he’ll stay put. The Blues could be boosted by the fact that Dovbyk’s agent is the same as Mykhailo Mudryk’s, making any deal potentially easier.
“Sensational” Dovbyk could be an upgrade on Jackson
When compared, Dovbyk’s stats stand tall against Jackson’s this season, who has struggled to make an impact at times. The Girona star has found the back of the net a total of 12 times and has set up a further six goals in all competitions. Jackson, meanwhile, has scored eight and set up two in all competitions. At 26 years old, the La Liga forward could be in his prime, perhaps making now the perfect time for Chelsea to make their move.
Earning plenty of deserved praise this season, Girona manager Michel had nothing but good things to say after the forward’s performance against Barcelona. He said:
“I haven’t seen the statistics, but I saw a dominant Barca, and they had many shots on goal, but Girona was as always, and I like it. Last year we had no chance of winning and lost 0:1. On a tactical level, Xavi wanted to press us, but we managed to overcome the high press. We used the space, Dovbyk and Tsygankov played a sensational game in the first half.”
