It’s safe to say that Chelsea possesses one of the very best attacking departments in the Premier League, all thanks to the investment from owner Todd Boehly.
It’s handed current boss Enzo Maresca with all the tools to try and make his first season at Stamford Bridge one to remember after his appointment from Leicester City.
Cole Palmer is undoubtedly the biggest asset in his attacking unit, with the England international already registering 12 combined goals and assists in his first 11 league outings – looking to be worth every penny of his £40m transfer fee.
The other options consist of fellow big-money additions Mykhailo Mudryk, João Félix, Noni Madueke, Nicolas Jackson and Pedro Neto – with the latter registering his first Premier League strike in the recent meeting with London rivals Arsenal.
However, one other forward-thinking player could be edging closer to the exit door after a lack of minutes during the new campaign.
Christopher Nkunku could be on the way out of Chelsea
French forward Christopher Nkunku arrived at Chelsea last summer after the club activated his £52m release clause in his RB Leipzig contract – joining the club with high expectations after his 23-goal season in the Bundesliga.
However, injuries massively halted his progress during his maiden campaign in England, suffering a serious knee injury that ruled him out for the vast majority of 2023/24.
The 26-year-old has since recovered to be a part of Maresca’s side this season but has mainly been utilised as an impact player in the league – having to settle for starts in various cup competitions.
He’s only played 155 minutes of Premier League football but has managed ten goals in all competitions, with six of his efforts coming in the Europa Conference League.
However, according to French outlet L’Equipe, the attacker is growing more frustrated with his lack of minutes, prompting an enquiry over a potential move to join Manchester United in January.
It’s unclear whether the club would sanction any deal, or if it would be on a temporary or permanent basis, but they may allow him to move to Old Trafford should they secure a deal for an in-demand talent.
Chelsea could make a move for £83m talent
It’s no secret that Chelsea have been pursuing a move for a new number nine over the last couple of transfer windows, in an attempt to add depth and further improve Maresca’s attacking options.
Various names have been touted, but one has never seemed to quite go away – that being in the form of Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres.
The Sweden international has bagged 66 goals in his 68 appearances under new United boss Ruben Amorim, attracting interest from the likes of Arsenal as well as the Blues.
However, the latest update surrounding the striker’s future could play into the hands of Chelsea, with Sporting’s president confirming that if any side pays his £83m release clause and he wants to leave then he will leave the Liga Portugal outfit.
His goalscoring record in Portugal has led to comparisons to Manchester City’s Erling Haaland, with the pair undoubtedly two of the very best finishers in world football at present.
The duo have constantly topped their respective division’s goalscoring charts over the past couple of years, with former Dutch international Rafael van der Vaart claiming that Gyokeres is actually “a better version of Haaland“.
It may seem a crazy statement to make, but when comparing the duo’s respective stats from the Champions League this season, Gyokeres does appear to have the edge on the Norweigan in numerous key attacking areas.
How Gyokeres & Haaland compare in the UCL (2024/25) | ||
|---|---|---|
Statistics (per 90) | Gyokeres | Haaland |
Games played | 4 | 4 |
Goals & assists | 6 | 3 |
Goals scored per 90 | 1.3 | 0.9 |
Progressive carries | 3.5 | 1.4 |
Progressive passes | 1.5 | 0.6 |
Shot-creating actions | 3.3 | 1.1 |
Take-ons completed | 1 | 0.3 |
Stats via FBref | ||
Whilst it would be yet another huge investment from Boehly to secure his services, it would allow his club to have that focal point that they have been craving.
The Swede is one of the most in-form strikers on the planet, with either a January or summer move for the 26-year-old massively boosting the Blues’ title-challenging credentials over the next couple of years.
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