Chelsea are currently in the market for a striker in the upcoming transfer window, after struggling to find the back of the net with regular ease this season.
Nicolas Jackson may have bagged a hat-trick against Tottenham Hotspur, but question marks remain over his quality to lead the line for top Premier League side. Still only 22, Jackson still has plenty of time to develop, with reports suggesting that Chelsea will look to bring in an "elite striker" in the January transfer window.
Armando Broja is also waiting in the wings once he makes a full return from injury, but Mauricio Pochettino is eager to bring in a proven goalscorer up front to provide a reliable source of strikes. The Athletic's David Ornstein has already ruled Chelsea out a move for Ivan Toney, however, with the Brentford marksman not fitting into their 25 and under transfer policy.
But who else are the Blues targeting as they look to address their goalscoring woes this term? FourFourTwo takes a look at five potential options below.
5 strikers Chelsea could sign in January
1. Benjamin Sesko
Many in Europe are expecting great things from Sesko, who has impressed at Red Bull sides Salzburg and Leipzig in his fledgling career. A physically imposing presence, Sesko is not only a major threat in the air, but also just as capable with both feet. He's also rapid, too, just for good measure.
Still only 20, Sesko earned a summer move to RB Leipzig in the summer - from sister club Red Bull Salzburg - after managing 18 goals in 41 appearances in all competitions last term. Six goals in his start to life in Germany highlights he has settled well, and is already comfortable leading the line in a more difficult league.
Compared to Erling Haaland, due to their similar statures and career paths, Sesko could follow the man he replaced at Red Bull Salzburg to the Premier League with Chelsea. While the Blues clearly have a good working relationship with RB Leipzig, after the recent transfers of Timo Werner and Christopher Nkunku, a hefty transfer fee will be needed to prise Sesko away.
2. Victor Osimhen
Osimhen may be the obvious choice - but he's obvious for a reason. After finishing as the Serie A top scorer last term on the way to Napoli's first Scudetto in over 30 years, Osimhen has continued his incredible streak with six goals in the opening eight Serie A matches in 2023/24. They've come amid a cloud of controversy in Naples, too, highlighting just how prolific he has been despite off-field issues.
And contract disputes could see the 24-year-old leave Napoli sooner than expected. With Osimhen having just 18 months left on his deal come January, Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis has suggested that an extension is not imminent.
Chelsea, therefore, could look to take advantage of the situation by offering Napoli an acceptable fee. Having been linked with Osimhen for over a year, the Blues might finally test the waters in January for a world-class striker who could lead the line at Stamford Bridge for the next half-decade at least.
3. Victor Boniface
Bayer Leverkusen are flying high at the top of the Bundesliga right now, and Boniface is an important reason for that. The Nigerian has settled extremely quickly into Xabi Alonso's side since signing from Union Saint-Gilloise in the summer, bagging seven goals in his first 10 games in the German top tier.
An all-round centre-forward, Boniface is just as comfortable with the ball at his feet as he is chasing it in behind. His movement is second-to-none, too, with Bundesliga defences struggling to live with his sharp darts across the front post or clever counter-runs.
The 22-year-old won't come cheap, though, having signed until June 2028 with Leverkusen. Brought in for around £20m, Chelsea will likely have to triple that fee now if they're to convince Boniface to join in January.
4. Lautaro Martinez
At 26, Martinez slightly subverts Chelsea's transfer policy, but his quality more than makes up for it. The Inter Milan captain is a proven finisher who has been playing at the highest level for a number of years now, and could provide Chelsea's inexperienced side with some essential leadership.
Though valued at £87m by Transfermarkt, Martinez could be available in a cut-price deal due to Inter's financial concerns. While they recently recorded a significant reduction in losses compared to the previous season, the Italian side are still losing large amount of money each year, and could welcome a suitable offer for their star player.
The Argentine is clearly in the form of his life, too. After netting 28 times for Inter last term, he has already scored 14 in 15 games in all competitions as he leads the Nerazzuri back towards the top of Serie A. Whether Inter will willingly let him leave mid-season remains to be seen, but Chelsea could test their resolve nevertheless.
5. Evan Ferguson
Now, we know what you're going to say: 'He's just signed a long-term deal with Brighton keeping him on the south coast until 2029'. And? That's never stopped Chelsea - or any football club, for that matter - before.
One of the hottest prospects in Europe, Ferguson is deservedly garnering the attention his talent deserves. Since breaking into the Brighton first team last season, the Irish striker has been hugely impressive under Roberto De Zerbi's stewardship. Five goals in 11 games at the start of this campaign is a great return for a 19-year-old, and he's only going to get better.
Brighton will demand more than £100m for Ferguson, however, an extremely high transfer fee for someone so inexperienced. Despite that, Chelsea have proved they're willing to invest in talent, and might think Ferguson is the player to finish the jigsaw. While entrusting him to lead the line at Stamford Bridge seems unlikely, the Blues might take the gamble before his price continues to shoot up.
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Chelsea are reportedly seeking a £500 million loan in order to continue buying players, despite an outlay of around £1 billion over the past year.
And Blues manager Mauricio Pochettino has revealed that the west London club have "already started to work" on January signings.
