If there is one player that Chelsea have never really replaced from their superb team of the Noughties and 2010s, it is Ivorian striker Didier Drogba. The four-time Premier League winner was superb for the Blues over a span of 381 games, scoring 164 goals in that time, and registering 88 assists.
The two strikers who have so far come closest to filling the void left by Drogba are Diego Costa and Olivier Giroud. Costa actually played one season with the legendary striker, in 2014/15, when Drogba returned to Stamford Bridge for a second spell on a one-year contract. The Spain international scored 59 goals and registered 21 assists in just 120 games across three seasons at Stamford Bridge. It was a short but sweet stint in blue.
As for Giroud, he played 199 times for Chelsea between 2017 and 2021, scoring 39 goals and claiming 14 assists. He joined the Blues from London rivals Arsenal, winning the Europa League and the Champions League during his time with the club, something he did not achieve with the Gunners.
As good as Costa and Giroud were, they still were not long-term solutions to Chelsea’s centre-forward issues. However, this could be the summer they finally replace Drogba, having been linked to one of the most deadly number nines in the world in recent weeks.
Chelsea looking to sign Serie A striker
The player in question here is Napoli and Nigeria striker Victor Osimhen. The 25-year-old has had two impressive seasons for Napoli despite some injury issues, which has led him to be linked with several big clubs around Europe.
According to a report from TEAMtalk, Chelsea’s desire to sign the Nigerian 'remains firm', with Blues owner Todd Boehly thought to be 'intent on capturing' the former Lille striker – who has become a 'priority target'.
However, the piece reports that, before the Blues can make a move for Osimhen, they must first offload players in order to afford the striker and comply with financial fair play (FFP) rules.
In terms of a price for Osimhen, it seems the Stamford Bridge side will need to raise a fair amount of money. As per the report, Napoli originally asked for an eye-watering £145m, but have since lowered their asking price to £102m, thought to be a release clause in Osimhen’s contract.
How Osimhen would benefit Chelsea
There is no doubt that Osimhen will bring one thing Chelsea need more than anything; goals. His record over the past two seasons in Serie A speaks for itself, and, despite a poor season for Napoli in the defence of their Scudetto title, Osimhen still found the back of the net plenty.
He scored 15 goals in 25 Serie A appearances this season, backing up the impressive 26 goals in 32 games he scored in the 2022/23 campaign. Although he missed 10 games due to injury, plus five games due to his national team call-up for Nigeria at AFCON in January, his record speaks for itself.
Season
Games
Goals
Assists
2020/21
24
10
3
2021/22
27
14
5
2022/23
32
26
5
2023/24
25
15
3
In fact, the signing of Osimhen could coincide well with another player Chelsea have been linked with, Crystal Palace’s Michael Olise – the £60m man having been heavily linked with a move to Stamford Bridge of late.
The 22-year-old has had an astounding season for the Eagles, scoring ten goals and registering six assists in 19 Premier League games. In the 2022/23 campaign, he grabbed 11 assists, which was bettered by only Leandro Trossard and Mohamed Salah, who both registered 12 assists that year, and Kevin de Bruyne, who got 16 assists.
This led data analyst Ben Mattinson to say that the former Reading man would “push for the assist record” – currently held by Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne with 20 – in a team with a “killer” centre-forward. Could Osimhen be that 'killer'?
According to FBref, Olise is one of the most creative players in Europe over the last year. He averages 2.54 key passes per 90, which ranks him in the top 12% of wingers, and his 2.40 passes into the final third ranks him in the top 7%.
However, where an Olise and Osimhen partnership could excel is with Olise crossing the ball into the Nigerian for him to head home. Statistically speaking, Olise is one of the best crossers in Europe, averaging 6.85 crosses per 90 – Mattinson also noting that he has "one of the best final balls in the league".
Osimhen, meanwhile, is superb in the air. In the 2022/23 Serie A season, he averaged a win rate of 54.6% aerial duels, which ranked him in the top 4% of strikers, as per FBref. That seems like a match made in heaven. We have already seen Osimhen form an elite partnership with Georgian winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. It is not a stretch to imagine him doing the same with Olise.
Osimhen’s 0.99 goals per 90 in that same campaign also made him one of the most clinical finishers in world football. He ranked in the top 1% of strikers for goals per 90 that season, and averaged 0.84 non-penalty goals per 90 campaign, showing his effectiveness from open play.
Where Olise also excels is in his goal-creating actions. Within the last year across Europe, the 22-year-old France under-21 international has registered 0.99 goal-creating actions per 90, which ranks him in the top 1% of wingers. Given Osimhen’s ability to sniff out a chance from any kind of situation, combined with his excellent conversion rate, it seems like he could score a lot of goals with Olise on the same pitch.
Olise is a direct winger, who is confident in one-vs-one situations and is comfortable looking to beat a defender on both the inside, on his favoured left foot, and the outside, on his right foot. With his directness and wonderful creative ability in mind, it certainly seems like Olise could be a man to get the best out of Osimhen.
If Chelsea are successful in their pursuit of the Nigerian, he could finally solve their issues in front of goal, and finally be a long-term replacement for Didier Drogba, nine years on from when he left the club for the final time.
Chelsea eyeing “the best 9 in the world” to finally replace Drogba
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ByTom LeverMay 31, 2024