After splashing the cash once again in the summer, Chelsea may have expected to make their return to the Premier League’s top four, but they’ve been anything but a side capable of reaching the Champions League under Mauricio Pochettino so far this season. The Blues, instead, have already come up short one too many times, often taking one step forward and two steps back.
Perhaps looking to spend their way out of mid-table stagnation yet again, those at Stamford Bridge could now turn to the upcoming transfer windows, when they may finally solve their long-standing goalscoring problem, whilst getting one over Arsenal off the pitch.
Chelsea transfer news
It’s a rare day when Chelsea aren’t stealing the headlines for their transfer activity, given how much Todd Boehly is often willing to spend. Throughout the summer, Stamford Bridge saw a number of arrivals in a major squad overhaul – the likes of Nicolas Jackson, Moises Caicedo, Cole Palmer and many more arrived, only for the Blues’ struggles to continue under Pochettino. Now, as the January transfer window arrives, reports suggest that Chelsea could win the race to sign a solution for their biggest problem.
According to Football Transfers, Chelsea are in pole position to sign Napoli star Victor Osimhen. This comes after Arsenal reportedly dropped out of the race for the forward’s signature as they are unwilling to match his release clause. Money, in contrast, rarely stands in the way of things for Chelsea who could yet meet Osimhen’s rumoured price tag of €130-140 million (£113m-£122m) to land Osimhen, but a move may have to wait until the summer.
The London club may still have to fend off interest from Real Madrid and Saudi Arabia if they are to sign the Napoli man, however, even after Arsenal pulled out of the race.
“Complete” Osimhem would be a major upgrade on Jackson
Osimhen could be a major upgrade for Chelsea, who may finally solve a goalscoring problem that hasn’t been fixed since the days of Diego Costa. Osimhen’s stats prove as much too.
Player | Starts | Goals | Expected Goals | Progressive Carries | Assists |
Victor Osimhen | 11 | 7 | 6.7 | 19 | 2 |
Nicolas Jackson (pre-Wolves) | 13 | 7 | 9.8 | 28 | 1 |
It’s no surprise, given how much success he has enjoyed in Serie A, that Osimhen has earned the praise of Gianfranco Zola. The Chelsea icon said:
“I see a lot of similarities but it’s unfair to compare players from different eras. They both play with a lot of physicality and they are both very good with scoring, taking their opportunities. He’s a very complete player. He’s got a good reference going forward, he can link up play and he’s devastating in the air. He’s a pest to defenders.”
With 2024 just around the corner, it will certainly be interesting to see whether Chelsea make their move for Osimhen, either way, they must find their form under Pochettino sooner rather than later, so it looks as if it’ll be one to watch with the Blues seemingly in a strong position as it stands.
