Chelsea have a striker on the ‘agenda’ as transfer expert reveals major factor ‘affecting’ January plans

Jason Soutar 22 Nov 2023 10:51 AM

Victor Osimhen and Ivan Toney have both been strongly linked with Chelsea.

Chelsea are interested in signing a striker in 2024, but their January plans rely on the form of Christopher Nkunku, Armando Broja and Nicolas Jackson between now and then, according to a journalist.

Mauricio Pochettino signed Nkunku and Jackson in the summer in a bid to improve his attack.

Under Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter and Frank Lampard last season, Chelsea had many problems, but scoring goals was probably their biggest one.

Unfortunately for Pochettino, he has been without Nkunku after he suffered a knee injury in pre-season.

The former RB Leipzig attacker is expected to return within the next two weeks, while Broja has also just come back from injury and got a rest during the international break with Albania opting not to call him up.

Jackson’s form leading the line has been hot and cold but he has been playing well in recent weeks, scoring against Tottenham and Manchester City in the two games before the international break.

Chelsea are still expected to sign an out-and-out striker in 2024 and have been strongly linked with Brentford’s Ivan Toney and Napoli’s Victor Osimhen.

Toney recently changed agents and will return from an eight-month ban for breaching the FA’s gambling rules in January, with the Bees eager to keep hold of him despite his desire to play elsewhere.

Both players will likely cost north of £100million in the winter transfer window and speaking on Sky Sports on Wednesday, transfer journalist Lyall Thomas has said Chelsea’s January plans are likely to hinder on how well Broja, Nkunku and Jackson perform over the next month or so.

Asked if a striker is on the agenda for the Blues, Thomas said: “Chelsea have strikers on their lists or players they are looking at in the short and medium term.

“Now Nicolas Jackson has been scoring, Armando Broja’s coming back, Christopher Nkunku is also coming back. So that’s a reflection of where we are when it comes to the January transfer window and clubs’ plans; there’s still a lot to happen, still a lot to play out, still a lot to affect what clubs do.

“I think Chelsea will be looking really intently at how those players perform over the next month or so, to decide what they do.

“Strikers are on the agenda. Brentford’s Ivan Toney is an obvious one to mention. Victor Osimhen at Napoli is another one to mention. Here we are talking about 100 million pound-plus players, so bringing in a striker, especially in the January transfer window, is not an easy thing to do. It costs a premium amount of money and Chelsea know that.”

Thomas was also asked if players are expected to leave Stamford Bridge in January and singled out centre-back Trevoh Chalobah, who has been linked with a host of clubs in recent months.

He said: “Chelsea have a big squad… so there will be a number of peripheral players who will perhaps be knocking on Mauricio Pochettino’s door and asking that question about whether they can get more games elsewhere.

“There is one player in particular that we know was available in the summer, which was Trevoh Chalobah.

“Chelsea are well stocked in defence so I think it is likely that Chelsea will listen to offers for Trevoh.”

Chelsea Christopher Nkunku