Chelsea are ready to bet on ‘one of the best in the world’
Chelsea they have been fantastic in the 2024/25 Premier League season and are flying way below Enzo Maresca. One of the main reasons for this is the fact that they have been so ruthless in front of goal. The Blues have a squad full of attacking firepower, and it’s fair to say they’ve shown up this season.
The west Londoners have scored 37 goals in the top flight second highest only behind Tottenham Hotspur with 39. In addition, the blues also have some created the second most chances, with 61. Liverpool are the only team with more, with 71.
Now, as the January transfer window approaches, it appears that Maresca is only looking to add more goals to his side as Chelsea are linked with a new striker.
Chelsea could sign a big striker in 2025
Heading into the January transfer window, rumors are starting to swirl again about the Nigerian centre-forward Victor Osimhen. The 25-year-old is currently on loan at Galatasaray from Italian giants Napoli and is enjoying an excellent season in Turkey.
now, according to reports from the mainlandChelsea are one of the clubs who are willing to exercise the player’s release clause at the beginning of the year. The report states that the Blues have “shown a strong interest” in signing Osimhen this winter.
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However, they would not be alone in the hunt for his signature. Premier League rivals Manchester United and French giants Paris Saint-Germain are also showing interest.
Should a deal for the 25-year-old go over the line, it could cost a hefty sum, estimated to be in the region of £62m. Although he is on loan in Turkey, there is a release clause in his contract that would allow him to leave and sign permanently for a new club, if they meet the aforementioned sum of money.
How does Osimhen compare to Nicolas Jackson
In a Chelsea side that is already devastating in front of goal, adding Osimhen to this attack could wreak havoc in the Premier League. The striker is simply deadly and has been fantastic for Galatasaray this season, scoring 12 goals in 15 games in all competitions.
However, the 25-year-old is not only clinical for the Turkish giants. His record in Naples is excellent.
In 133 appearances for Gli Azzurri, Osimhen has scored 76 goals, provided 18 assists, averaging 0.71 goals and assists per game. In the 2022/23 Scudetto-winning season, he scored 31 goals in 39 games.
If the Blues were to sign Osimhen this winter, it would only add to the firepower they have in attacking areas. Of course, their first-choice striker is Nicholas Jacksonwho has so far performed magnificently under Maresca.
In 16 first level matches in the 2024/25 campaign, the Senegal forward has scored nine goals and provided three assists. He has been a consistent goalscorer for his side, not going more than two games without a Premier League start.
Perhaps Jackson’s best game in the top flight this season was against West Ham United away from home. He scored twice and provided an assist for Cole Palmer in a 3-0 win over their London rivals.
Having Osimhen and Jackson on the club as surprise options will be great depth. Like the statistics via FBref shows, both are fantastic players. The Nigerian striker is averaging 1.07 goals per game in the league this season and 0.33 goals per shot on goal. In contrast, Chelsea’s number 15 averages 0.64 goals per game and 0.39 goals per shot on target.
|
Osimhen and Jackson 2024/25 Shot Stats |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Status (per 90) |
Osimhen |
Jackson |
|
goals |
1.07 |
0.64 |
|
Shots on target % |
41.2% |
52.3% |
|
Shots on goal |
2.51 |
1.65 |
|
Goals per shot |
0.14 |
0.2 |
|
Goals for shots on goal |
0.33 |
0.39 |
|
Statistics of FBRef |
||
The signing of Osimhen can only be a good thing for the Blues. They wouldn’t just be signing”one of the best strikers in the world“, according to Joao Cancelo tag, but they would bring excellent competition for Jackson, which could only make him a better player.
Maresca will have tactical flexibility, with the option of playing one or both center forwards and will always have goals on his side. £62m is a big investment, but there’s certainly reason to believe it’s a good way to spend money in January.
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