Chelsea want to sign £33m Nkunku upgrade

Chelsea have been hunting for their prolific number nine over the past few years, notably since their £97.5m move for Romelu Lukaku backfired, only making 44 appearances in his second stint with the Blues, scoring 15 goals and providing one assist.

Since then, Kai Havertz was often deployed as a striker under Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter, with other signings such as Pierre Emerick-Aubamayang and David Datro Fofana not going as planned.

This now leaves the current options as Nicolas Jackson, Christopher Nkunku and Marc Guiu, who have scored 17 goals between the three of them in 2024/25.

How Chelsea’s main strikers compare

Jackson has started this campaign as the starting striker in Enzo Maresca’s team, scoring six goals and providing three assists in 901 minutes. His all-round play, ability to run the channels and work hard for the team, has seen him heavily trusted by the new boss, specifically over Nkunku.

The France international has still been used effectively this season, starting cup competitions, and coming from the bench in Premier League games, making 17 appearances, netting ten goals and registering one assist in 688 minutes.

Guiu, who was signed from Barcelona this summer for just £5m, has scored once in his seven appearances, showing promise as a hard-working centre-forward, who is a handful for defenders and looks to press from the front, winning the ball back in the opposition half.

The metrics above show Nkunku’s quality in and around the box, with a higher shot volume, more goals per 90, and a higher xG generated per 90. The Frenchman is a clinical finisher and has excellent movement to pair his instincts in dangerous areas.

However, whilst Nkunku betters Jackson in many of these per 90 metrics, what the Senegal international offers Chelsea is a real presence when running the channels, relentlessly making runs and being a nightmare for defenders, linking play and then driving forwards.

But one thing both of these strikers lack, is aerial prowess, both winning less than one aerial duel per 90 (Jackson with 0.52 and Nkunku with 0.95).

This is a clear hole in their squad building, and the Chelsea scouting department is looking to fix that in the coming windows.

Chelsea looking at Nkunku upgrade

According to reports from GIVEMESPORT, Chelsea are interested in Ipswich striker, Liam Delap, and could make a move for him next summer.

The report states that Chelsea’s scouts have been regularly watching Delap this season in his impressive run for struggling Ipswich.

The former Man City forward only left permanently last summer but has made a rip-roaring start to life in Suffolk, now being valued at £33m.

Making 12 appearances for Ipswich this campaign, he has scored six goals and provided one assist in 796 minutes played. His six goals in the Premier League have come from just 2.4 xG, therefore outscoring his xG by +3.6. It’s safe to say he’s truly delivering on the “unplayable” status he was given at Hull City by The Daily Mail’s Baz Cooper.

The 21-year-old forward offers a bigger and stronger build than both Jackson and Nkunku, winning 1.05 aerial duels per 90, and standing at 6 foot 1. Whilst he is the same height as Jackson, Delap has a stocky build, with a strong upper body, and the ability to bully defenders using his frame.

These are traits Chelsea want in their next striker option, to complement the qualities of Jackson, and add extra box threat to the squad, something that is currently lacking, especially when teams drop into a low block against the Blues.

Whether it is Delap, or someone else, Chelsea are definitely interested in adding a different-profile striker to their squad, in order to give Maresca extra options in games to turn the tide in their favour.