All transfer window long, Chelsea were hunting for a new centre-forward, but were unable to complete a deal for any striker that would improve the options currently available at the club.
Senegal international Nicolas Jackson was the club’s main option at the top end of the pitch last season, scoring 14 Premier League goals – ending the campaign as the club’s second top scorer behind Cole Palmer.
His subsequent form saw him rewarded with a new contract at Stamford Bridge that will run until the summer of 2033, a signal of the trust put in the 23-year-old by new boss Enzo Maresca.
Jackson has already made an excellent start to the 2024/25 campaign, scoring two goals and registering one assist in the first three outings of the new season, but the fanbase will still be devastated that they failed to secure another attacking option.
Chelsea’s hunt for a new striker this summer
For large parts of the transfer window, it looked as though the Blues were destined to secure a new number nine, but after various attempts with numerous different options, the club were unsuccessful.
Alexander Isak was an option earlier on in the transfer window, but after Newcastle United demanded a fee of over £100m for the Sweden international, Maresca’s side moved onto different targets.
On deadline day, Chelsea were presented with two options in Ivan Toney and Victor Osimhen, with the Blues facing competition from Saudi Arabian side Al-Ahli for the pair.
However, while both players agreed a deal with Matthias Jaissle’s side, it was the Englishman who signed on the dotted line in the Middle East, whilst Osimhen eventually joined Turkish side Galatasaray on loan until the end of the season.
Despite the frustration of allowing such targets to move elsewhere, the club also allowed one former player to leave West London and recapture his fine goalscoring form.
Former Chelsea ace has outscored Isak & Toney
Belgian striker Michy Batshuayi joined Chelsea in a £33m deal from French side Marseille back in 2016, with real expectations to provide an added attacking threat in the final third.
However, he only made 77 appearances over a six-year spell, which included various loan spells with the likes of Crystal Palace and Borussia Dortmund, but it wasn’t enough to maintain his place at Stamford Bridge.
He eventually joined Süper Lig side Fenerbahçe on a free transfer in 2022 – a move that would allow the 30-year-old to recapture his goalscoring form that secured him a move to the Premier League.
Batshuayi scored 44 goals in 75 appearances for the club, before joining Galatasaray this summer and continuing his impressive form, registering another three goals in his first six appearances for his new side.
Remarkably, his total of 47 goals since the start of the 2022/23 campaign is higher than both Isak and Toney, who could only manage 36 and 25 respectively.
Isak & Toney vs Batshuayi since 2022/23 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Player | Games | Goals | Goals per game |
Batshuayi | 81 | 47 | 0.58 |
Isak | 71 | 36 | 0.51 |
Toney | 52 | 25 | 0.48 |
Stats via Transfermarkt | |||
Given his recent goalscoring exploits away from Stamford Bridge, the club may regret allowing Batshuayi to leave the Blues back in 2022 – potentially providing added quality and goals for Maresca’s side.
After their failure to secure a new striker during the summer window, the London club are still relatively light in the centre-forward position, lacking that presence and quality alongside Jackson in the final third.
