Chelsea make approach to sign dream £42m Palmer partner
Mauricio Pochettino’s Chelsea is headed for another trophy-less season after failing to guide the squad to a championship in his first year at the club.
The Argentine manager took his team to the League Cup final, where they were defeated by Liverpool on penalties; however, the team did not go to the FA Cup final. Presently, they are ranked ninth in the Premier League standings.
With five games remaining, they still have a chance to guarantee themselves European football for the 2024–2025 season, should they have a successful finish to the season and move up the division.
Attention will then fully turn to the summer transfer window and what the club can do to bolster their playing squad to compete on all fronts next term.
Worth is reportedly already underway on that front, though, as the Blues are looking to sign a new centre-forward to lead the line for Pochettino.
Chelsea’s interest in Bundesliga marksman
According to journalist Simon Phillips’ Substack column, via Chelsea News, Chelsea have five strikers they are looking at ahead of the next transfer window.
The player who looks likely to be the club’s top target in that position is RB Leipzig centre-forward Benjamin Sesko, who has a £42m release clause in his current contract.
Phillips claims that the Slovenia international has already been approached by the Blues, via his representatives, ahead of a possible move to Stamford Bridge in the coming months.
However, the reporter does not reveal whether or not the 20-year-old starlet is prepared to ditch the German club to make a move to England this summer.
He also does not state whether or not the London-based outfit are willing to pay his £42m release clause in full or if they will try to negotiate a lower fee.
Napoli’s Victor Osimhen and Brentford’s Ivan Toney are also mentioned by Phillips, who adds that Roma ace and ex-Chelsea man Tammy Abraham and Juventus star Dusan Vlahovic are also options for them if they fail to land their top targets.
This latest update suggests that plenty of work is going on behind the scenes to ensure that they have a long list of options to pursue this summer to secure a new number nine to lead the line at Stamford Bridge next season.
Sesko is possibly the priority at this moment in time, given that the club have approached him over a possible deal to bring him to England, and he could be a dream signing to partner with Cole Palmer moving forward.
Cole Palmer’s form for Chelsea this season
Signed from Manchester City on a permanent move last summer, the left-footed magician has enjoyed a sensational first season with the Blues this term.
The 21-year-old wizard has showcased his quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals from an attacking midfield or wide position in the Premier League this season.
He had racked up six goals and two assists in 41 first-team matches for Pep Guardiola before his switch to London last year, which did not suggest that the young gem was guaranteed to hit the ground running with Chelsea this term.
That is exactly what the talented star has done, though, with his almost constant stream of goals and assists for Pochettino’s side throughout the campaign.
As you can see in the table above, Palmer has averaged a direct goal contribution every match on average in the Premier League with a return of 29 goals and assists in 29 matches.
His goalscoring exploits, with 20 strikes from just 15.56 xG, have caught the eye but his creativity for his teammates has also been sensational in the top-flight.