Enzo Maresca has been tasked with bringing Chelsea back to Champions League football, looking to bolster his squad ahead of the 2024/25 Premier League season, and finish higher than their sixth-place finish last season.

He has already been reunited with a familiar face, with the Blues acquiring Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall from Leicester City, as well as Renato Veiga, Tosin Adarabioyo, Marc Guiu, Caleb Wiley, and Omari Kellyman.

But Chelsea could still be set for a busy few weeks in the transfer market, with links still circling around striker options and a potential left-winger, as well as many expected outgoings.

Chelsea's search for a striker

According to reports from Football Insider over the weekend, Chelsea are admirers of Sporting striker, Viktor Gyokeres, whilst other Premier League clubs such as Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham are also interested in the Sweden international.

The 26-year-old striker has a £86m release clause according to the reports, and that fee is expected to be too high for the Premier League clubs, meaning the likelihood of a move depends on Sporting lowering their asking price.

Gyokeres made 50 appearances in all competitions for Sporting last season, scoring 43 goals, providing 15 assists, and totalling 4,169 minutes of football.

How Gyokeres compares Jackson

Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson made 44 appearances in all competitions in 2023/24, scoring 17 goals and providing six assists. That marked an impressive return in his first Premier League season, especially after his slow start, missing multiple big chances (24 in total).

Meanwhile, Gyokeres's 43 goals were more than the Blues' top scorer, Cole Palmer, who scored 25 goals for the club in 45 appearances, and another Chelsea striker target, Victor Osimhen, who scored 17 goals in 32 appearances for Napoli last season.

Stats (per 90 mins)

Gyokeres

Jackson

Osimhen

Non-Penalty Goals

0.74

0.45

0.52

Shots Total

3.37

2.57

3.73

Shots on Target

1,64

1.22

1.55

Goals/Shot

0.22

0.18

0.14

Assists

0.31

0.16

0.11

Shot-Creating Actions

4.08

3.05

2.47

Progressive Carries

3.52

2.25

1.59

Successful Take-Ons

2.10

1.74

0.77

Touches (Att Pen)

8.71

4.86

6.82

Aerials Won

1.92

1.13

1.81

Gyokeres, who was described as a "powerhouse" by analyst Ben Mattinson, due to his ability to hold up play, bring others into play and use his aerial prowess to affect the game. His high touches in the penalty area, averaging 8.71 per 90, is due to his hold-up play, and ability to play with his back to goal.

The 26-year-old has better metrics in most areas compared to Chelsea striker Jackson, and Chelsea target Osimhen. Having a better Non-Penalty Goals metric, having more shots on target despite fewer shots than Osimhen per 90, and creating more chances for others with 0.31 assists per 90.

He also shows his complete nature, averaging 3.52 progressive carries per 90, and 2.10 successful take-ons per 90, showing his ability to create for himself and be part of build-up play due to his quality on the ball.

Gyokeres provides a ready-made version of Jackson, who has shown signs of becoming the player Gyokeres is, but could need a few seasons to reach that prolific level that the Swede already provides – having only previously scored 13 times during his stint at Villarreal.

Much of the talk, of course, at present will be centred around the Blues' interest in Osimhen – amid reports regarding a potential swap deal involving Romelu Lukaku – yet Gyokeres has shown himself to be a worthy alternative.

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