Chelsea have reportedly refused to rule out a summer move for one striker who could prove to be a very cheap alternative to Ivan Toney and Victor Osimhen.
Pochettino under pressure as Chelsea set sights on new forward
Mauricio Pochettino's side are enduring a regrettable season domestically after spending over £400 million on new signings last summer, with their head coach bearing a lot of the backlash.
£210,000-per-week star packs his bags with Chelsea favourites to sign him
He’s ready to fly to England.
ByEmilio GalantiniMar 21, 2024
The Argentine has been jeered by supporters on more than one occasion over 2023/2024, with Chelsea looking likely to miss out on European qualification as things stand and are currently languishing in midtable.
They were also labelled the "billion-pound bottlejobs" by Gary Neville after losing the Carabao Cup final to Liverpool, and it would appear that their only shot of redemption this season is the FA Cup.
Chelsea 4-2 Leicester City (FA Cup)
Chelsea 3-2 Newcastle United (Premier League)
Brentford 2-2 Chelsea (Premier League)
Chelsea 3-2 Leeds United (FA Cup)
Chelsea 0-1 Liverpool (Carabao Cup)
Pochettino is gearing up for an all-important FA Cup semi-final clash against Man City, which could go some way to determining the success of their campaign, but pressure currently surrounds the former Spurs boss.
There have been reports that Chelsea are weighing up managerial alternatives to Pochettino in the event they decide to part company, but whatever they decide, there are still glaring squad weaknesses which need to be addressed in the summer market.
One of them is at centre-forward, with the Blues arguably lacking a 25-plus goal-per-season striker who can take them to the next level. They've been linked with a few prestigious options, as the likes of Toney and Osimhen reportedly find themselves on Chelsea's target list.
Osimhen's Napoli contract includes a £113 million release clause, making him the most expensive option, while Toney is being tipped to leave Brentford for around £60 million.
Chelsea may have to be wary of PSR and potential FFP breaches, though, as clubs around them continue to get sanctioned.
Chelsea refuse to rule out Callum Wilson bid
According to journalist Dean Jones, writing for Sportslens, a potential "good value deal" could be Newcastle striker Callum Wilson.
While the Englishman has suffered from injury problems this season, he was a key player for Eddie Howe over 2022/2023, and he could go on the cheap with his deal expiring next year.
Chelsea would not rule out the idea of a bid for Wilson in the summer, according to Jones, and it is believed he was actually open to joining them in the January window.
"Sources have confirmed that Chelsea do admire him and would not rule out the idea of a fresh move for Wilson, if they decide to consider cheaper alternatives in attack to Victor Osimhen and Ivan Toney," wrote Jones.
"The player was said to be open to such a move in January."
Called "incredible" by Howe, the only sticking points are Wilson's worrying injury history recently and age – with the 32-year-old not exactly coming as a long-term option.