Chelsea leading race to sign “monstrous” £66m Nkunku upgrade

Chelsea had yet another busy summer with Enzo Maresca’s first window as Chelsea manager bringing him 11 new players, whilst a further 11 left the club on a permanent basis, and 14 exited on loan.

The Blues spent a total of around £198.8m according to Transfermarkt, with the biggest move being Pedro Neto, who signed from Wolves for around £51.4m upfront, plus £2.6m in add-ons.

The Portugal international signed a seven-year deal with the club and has already made 14 appearances, scoring two goals and providing three assists.

The other signing made by Chelsea in this window on the flanks was Jadon Sancho, who joined on an initial loan deal from Manchester United, including an obligation to buy for a fee between £20-25m next summer. The 24-year-old winger has already made five appearances for the Blues, providing three assists in his 308 minutes played.

However, one area Chelsea did not manage to recruit was another striker to challenge Nicolas Jackson, after failed attempts for Samu Omorodion, Victor Osimhen, and Jhon Duran. This could see the Blues dip into the market in the January window or next summer, looking for a number nine.

Chelsea lead race to sign European goal machine

According to reports from the Daily Star, Chelsea will be leading the race for Sporting goal machine, Viktor Gyokeres next summer.

Manchester United are also said to be heavily interested, following the appointment of Sporting manager, Ruben Amorim, who has worked closely with the Swede for the past few seasons.

Analyst Ben Mattinson has described the 26-year-old striker as “monstrous”, and it’s hardly surprising when you consider he has the blend of being able to link with his teammates, run the channels, hurt teams in transition, and, of course, score goals.

The Swedish forward – who is said to be available for around £66m – has made 17 appearances for Sporting this season, already scoring 23 goals, providing four assists, and totalling 1,436 minutes played.

In short, he has been phenomenal, and his performances were capped off just this week when he scored a remarkable hat-trick against Manchester City in the Champions League, showing his ability to perform exceptionally against English opposition.

How Gyokeres compares to Nkunku

Chelsea’s two current striker options are doing well, with Jackson taking the starting spot in the side, making 11 appearances, scoring six goals, providing three assists, and totalling 813 minutes.

Nkunku, on the other hand, whilst still making 15 appearances so far this season, has found himself as the backup striker, starting cup competitions and coming from the bench in Premier League games. However, the Frenchman is clearly knocking on the door, scoring eight goals already.

So, how does he compare with Gyokeres? Well, it’s a resounding win for the former Coventry srikre who has so many desirable traits, not just scoring goals but also providing opportunities for others.

Both Gyokeres and Nkunku clearly offer clinical finishing in and around the box, as shown by their goals per 90, xG generated per 90, and goals/shot ratio.

However, Chelsea are clearly missing a profile of striker who can be more of a nuisance in the box, getting on the end of crosses, and helping them increase their box efficiency in that way.

Standing at 6 foot 1, with a bulkier frame than Jackson, Gyokeres gives that option, as he can win aerial battles due to his height and build, looking to score headers, but also drag defenders away with him in the box, creating space for others.

This could even see Nkunku used as more of a number ten, playing off the striker, where he excels. One thing is for sure, Jackson and Gyokeres as striker options would be right up there with the best in the Premier League if Chelsea can pull it off.