Chelsea look destined to cap off another busy transfer window by signing a new No.9 to spearhead Enzo Maresca’s attack. Napoli striker Victor Osimhen is a long-standing target, but in an unexpected twist, Ivan Toney has also entered the fold as he searches for a way out of Brentford.
Yet another recruit would heighten the need for Chelsea to shed weight from their bloated squad before the deadline. And there are plenty of valuable assets training away from the first-team at Cobham who are in line to be auctioned off.
Here, Express Sport takes you through two things at the top of Chelsea’s wishlist in the final few days of the transfer window…
Chelsea’s long-running pursuit of an out-and-out striker has led them to Toney. A move for Osimhen would be nose-bleedingly expensive at the end of a summer which has already seen Todd Boehly splash out, and his wage demands would risk upsetting other senior players at Stamford Bridge.
Although not necessarily the most glamorous name in European football, Toney ticks many of the important boxes. His transfer fee would be reasonable, his wage demands would likely be in line with other big names on the Blues’ books, and he is a proven Premier League goalscorer.
Chelsea reportedly made their move to sign Toney on Tuesday, when Al-Ahli were closing in on a deal that would have brought the 28-year-old to the Saudi Pro League. The Blues are in need of an experienced head on the shoulders of an orthodox frontman, and that’s why Toney has jumped to the top of their wishlist.
£189m outcasts sold
Maresca has revealed that up to 20 players are training away from his first-team at Cobham. The Italian has also been open and honest about the players who should think about leaving for the sake of their careers.
£50m signing Ben Chilwell, £20m recruit Carney Chukwuemeka and £25m-rated Trevoh Chalobah have publicly been told, in various ways, that finding a new club before the deadline would be in their best interests.
Raheem Sterling, who signed from Manchester City two years ago for £50m, has not made any of Maresca’s matchday squads this season. Armando Broja is waiting to discover whether his move to Ipswich, which would include a £30m obligation to buy if they stay up, will proceed as planned, while £14m goalkeeper signing Djordje Petrovic is currently surplus to requirements.
It would be nigh on impossible for Chelsea to recoup the £189m those six players are cumulatively worth if they moved on permanently, but decisively cutting their losses and moving on would be a useful exercise before the end of the window.
