All switch window lengthy, Chelsea had been attempting to find a brand new centre-forward, however had been unable to finish a deal for any striker that may enhance the choices presently out there on the membership.
Senegal worldwide Nicolas Jackson was the membership’s predominant possibility on the prime finish of the pitch final season, scoring 14 Premier League objectives – ending the marketing campaign because the membership’s second prime scorer behind Cole Palmer.
His subsequent kind noticed him rewarded with a brand new contract at Stamford Bridge that may run till the summer season of 2033, a sign of the belief put within the 23-year-old by new boss Enzo Maresca.
Jackson has already made a wonderful begin to the 2024/25 marketing campaign, scoring two objectives and registering one help within the first three outings of the brand new season, however the fanbase will nonetheless be devastated that they didn’t safe one other attacking possibility.
Chelsea’s hunt for a brand new striker this summer season
For giant components of the switch window, it seemed as if the Blues had been destined to safe a brand new quantity 9, however after varied makes an attempt with quite a few completely different choices, the membership had been unsuccessful.
Alexander Isak was an possibility earlier on within the switch window, however after Newcastle United demanded a price of over £100m for the Sweden worldwide, Maresca’s facet moved onto completely different targets.
On deadline day, Chelsea had been introduced with two choices in Ivan Toney and Victor Osimhen, with the Blues dealing with competitors from Saudi Arabian facet Al-Ahli for the pair.
Nonetheless, whereas each gamers agreed a cope with Matthias Jaissle’s facet, it was the Englishman who signed on the dotted line within the Center East, while Osimhen ultimately joined Turkish facet Galatasaray on mortgage till the tip of the season.
Regardless of the frustration of permitting such targets to maneuver elsewhere, the membership additionally allowed one former participant to go away West London and recapture his positive goalscoring kind.
Former Chelsea ace has outscored Isak & Toney
Belgian striker Michy Batshuayi joined Chelsea in a £33m deal from French facet Marseille again in 2016, with actual expectations to offer an added attacking risk within the ultimate third.
Nonetheless, he solely made 77 appearances over a six-year spell, which included varied mortgage spells with the likes of Crystal Palace and Borussia Dortmund, however it wasn’t sufficient to keep up his place at Stamford Bridge.
He ultimately joined Süper Lig facet Fenerbahçe on a free switch in 2022 – a transfer that may enable the 30-year-old to recapture his goalscoring kind that secured him a transfer to the Premier League.
Batshuayi scored 44 objectives in 75 appearances for the membership, earlier than becoming a member of Galatasaray this summer season and persevering with his spectacular kind, registering one other three objectives in his first six appearances for his new facet.
Remarkably, his whole of 47 objectives for the reason that begin of the 2022/23 marketing campaign is larger than each Isak and Toney, who might solely handle 36 and 25 respectively.
Isak & Toney vs Batshuayi since 2022/23 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Participant | Video games | Objectives | Objectives per recreation |
Batshuayi | 81 | 47 | 0.58 |
Isak | 71 | 36 | 0.51 |
Toney | 52 | 25 | 0.48 |
Stats through Transfermarkt |
Given his current goalscoring exploits away from Stamford Bridge, the membership might remorse permitting Batshuayi to go away the Blues again in 2022 – probably offering added high quality and objectives for Maresca’s facet.
After their failure to safe a brand new striker through the summer season window, the London membership are nonetheless comparatively gentle within the centre-forward place, missing that presence and high quality alongside Jackson within the ultimate third.