If there is one thing that has been cause for concern for Mauricio Pochettino’s Chelsea side this season, it is their form in front of goal.
The Blues have scored the eighth most in the Premier League this season, with 47, but have missed 51 out of the 82 big chances they have created.
Pochettino has trialled different players up front this season, including summer signings Nicolas Jackson and Cole Palmer. Jackson is still finding his feet in the Premier League, with Palmer better suited to a deeper role or one on the right wing.
With hundreds of millions of pounds spent under new owner Todd Boehly since his takeover in 2022, it will be somewhat frustrating for Chelsea fans that they are still struggling in front of goal so much.
Two strikers Chelsea could sign this summer
With Pochettino’s side reportedly desperate to land a new number nine this summer, there are two frontrunners on the list.
Napoli striker Victor Osimhen is one option for Chelsea having been linked so regularly all season and crucially, the Nigeria international is already confirmed to be leaving the club this summer. However, a new name has been thrown into the mix of late; Sporting striker Victor Gyokeres.
According to Italian journalist Marco Fallisi, Chelsea, along with Arsenal, are the English clubs who could provide competition to AC Milan for Gyokeres’ signature next summer. It’s stated that the Premier League pair are at the front of the queue.
The reports suggest the Swede could cost just £43m, a great deal cheaper than the £100m plus that Osimhen is being touted with.
How Gyokeres and Osimhen Compare
In the 2022/23 season, Osimhen was one of the world’s deadliest strikers, scoring 31 goals in 39 games in all competitions, in a historic Scudetto-winning season for Napoli.
Incredibly, Gyokeres has already overtaken the Napoli striker’s tally from last season in the same number of games. Sporting’s talisman is currently on 36 goals in 39 games, whilst also hitting double figures in assists. As the stats suggest, Gyokeres is one of the deadliest strikers in Europe this term.
The Sweden international, who has been described as a ‘powerhouse’ by football analyst Ben Mattinson on X, is a very physical striker, who uses that to his advantage.
Gyokeres’ hold-up play stands out, and he uses his 6 foot 1 frame to dominate opponents, able to drop deeper and hold up the ball before spraying passes forward into the path of teammates who have made runs in behind. His 14 assists in 2023/24 compared to Osimhen’s measly tally of four stands out in this regard.
Indeed, in comparison, Osimhen tends to stay further forward, doing most of his work in and around the penalty area.
This is partly down to his relationship with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia; the tricky Georgian winger developed a superb partnership with Osimhen last season and loves to whip crosses into the box for the 25-year-old to attack.
Related
Chelsea may already have their own Osimhen who’s outscoring Jackson
Pochettino could have his very own Osimhen out on loan at this current moment in time
One thing that can be said about both strikers is that their penalty box instinct is second to none. Both players can sniff out chances from nowhere, able to follow in for rebounds or get on the end of crosses with ease, the mark of a top striker.
They have plenty of touches in the opposition penalty area too. Gyokeres averages 8.82 per 90 minutes, ranking him in the top 1% of strikers in Europe. In comparison, Osimhen averages 7.30 per 90 minutes, placing him in the top 5%.
If Chelsea are looking for a pure finisher in the penalty box, you cannot go wrong with either option. With that being said, Gyokeres may well prove to be the best option if they are looking for a more complete centre-forward who can both create and score.
Both players are the same age, 25, although Gyokeres might prove to be cheaper than the £100m Osimhen. It could well be down to Pochettino’s preference as to which striker they will try and sign this summer.