Chelsea have not had the best of starts to the new season, and one of the biggest issues for Enzo Maresca’s team has been the inconsistent performances of his strikers. As a result, there is a feeling that the West London club could push to sign another striker in the winter window.
However, according to Dean Jones via TEAMtalk, Chelsea are unlikely to push for a new number nine in January. With Emmanuel Emegha set to join them next summer from sister club RC Strasbourg, signing another striker won’t make any sense.
The West London club made significant additions to their squad in the summer. They reinforced the number nine position by signing Joao Pedro and Liam Delap. Their arrival led to the departure of Nicolas Jackson.
While Enzo Maresca had massive expectations from Joao Pedro and Liam Delap, they have not really lived up to them. Pedro had done a decent job, but Delap has struggled to stay fit since moving to Stamford Bridge.
The former Ipswich Town striker’s injury forced the West London club to terminate Marc Guiu’s loan move to Sunderland just weeks after he made the switch. The Barcelona graduate has been handed a few opportunities, but he has failed to make an impact.
Meanwhile, Pedro only has two goals in 11 outings, while Delap has only featured in four games. With all three of them struggling for different reasons, reports suggest Chelsea could look to sign a new number nine. However, Jones doesn’t seem to agree with them.
The transfer expert said, “There has been some feeling that Chelsea could look for another forward in 2026 but they already have Emanuel Emegha coming in [next summer] and I’m not sure another one will happen in January,”
“I have always thought Victor Osimhen would be the player that could make them a complete package and give them that edge and fear factor to match the very best but the finances around it have proved off-putting.
“If they were to make a priority signing it would more likely be a goalkeeper or defender from what I hear right now. But, saying that, this is Chelsea and predicting their transfer plans has often proved to be a waste of time as they love to pounce on an opportunity in the market.”
With Emanuel Emegha set to join the Blues next summer, Chelsea will have four quality options up front. As a result, the Londoners are unlikely to push for another striker in the upcoming transfer window. However, Chelsea have a history of springing surprises in the market, and if a top opportunity arises, they could still make a move. For now, though, a new striker signing appears unlikely.
