If there’s one factor that has been trigger for concern for Mauricio Pochettino’s Chelsea aspect this season, it’s their type in entrance of aim.
The Blues have scored the eighth most within the Premier League this season, with 47, however have missed 51 out of the 82 large probabilities they’ve created.
Pochettino has trialled totally different gamers up entrance this season, together with summer time signings Nicolas Jackson and Cole Palmer. Jackson remains to be discovering his ft within the Premier League, with Palmer higher suited to a deeper position or one on the correct wing.
With tons of of tens of millions of kilos spent below new proprietor Todd Boehly since his takeover in 2022, will probably be considerably irritating for Chelsea followers that they’re nonetheless struggling in entrance of aim a lot.
Two strikers Chelsea may signal this summer time
With Pochettino’s aspect reportedly determined to land a brand new quantity 9 this summer time, there are two frontrunners on the checklist.
Napoli striker Victor Osimhen is one choice for Chelsea having been linked so usually all season and crucially, the Nigeria worldwide is already confirmed to be leaving the membership this summer time. Nevertheless, a brand new identify has been thrown into the combo of late; Sporting striker Victor Gyokeres.
In accordance with Italian journalist Marco Fallisi, Chelsea, together with Arsenal, are the English golf equipment who may present competitors to AC Milan for Gyokeres’ signature subsequent summer time. It is said that the Premier League pair are on the entrance of the queue.
The reviews recommend the Swede may value simply £43m, an incredible deal cheaper than the £100m plus that Osimhen is being touted with.
How Gyokeres and Osimhen Examine
Within the 2022/23 season, Osimhen was one of many world’s deadliest strikers, scoring 31 objectives in 39 video games in all competitions, in a historic Scudetto-winning season for Napoli.
Extremely, Gyokeres has already overtaken the Napoli striker’s tally from final season in the identical variety of video games. Sporting’s talisman is at the moment on 36 objectives in 39 video games, while additionally hitting double figures in assists. Because the stats recommend, Gyokeres is among the deadliest strikers in Europe this time period.
The Sweden worldwide, who has been described as a ‘powerhouse’ by soccer analyst Ben Mattinson on X, is a really bodily striker, who makes use of that to his benefit.
Gyokeres’ hold-up play stands out, and he makes use of his 6 foot 1 body to dominate opponents, in a position to drop deeper and maintain up the ball earlier than spraying passes ahead into the trail of teammates who’ve made runs in behind. His 14 assists in 2023/24 in comparison with Osimhen’s measly tally of 4 stands out on this regard.
Certainly, as compared, Osimhen tends to remain additional ahead, doing most of his work in and across the penalty space.
That is partly right down to his relationship with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia; the difficult Georgian winger developed an excellent partnership with Osimhen final season and likes to whip crosses into the field for the 25-year-old to assault.
Associated
Chelsea could have already got their very own Osimhen who’s outscoring Jackson
Pochettino may have his very personal Osimhen out on mortgage at this present second in time
One factor that may be mentioned about each strikers is that their penalty field intuition is second to none. Each gamers can sniff out probabilities from nowhere, in a position to observe in for rebounds or get on the tip of crosses with ease, the mark of a high striker.
They’ve loads of touches within the opposition penalty space too. Gyokeres averages 8.82 per 90 minutes, rating him within the high 1% of strikers in Europe. Compared, Osimhen averages 7.30 per 90 minutes, inserting him within the high 5%.
If Chelsea are in search of a pure finisher within the penalty field, you can not go unsuitable with both choice. With that being mentioned, Gyokeres could nicely show to be the best choice if they’re in search of a extra full centre-forward who can each create and rating.
Each gamers are the identical age, 25, though Gyokeres would possibly show to be cheaper than the £100m Osimhen. It may nicely be right down to Pochettino’s choice as to which striker they may try to signal this summer time.