Chelsea started their Premier League campaign with huge expectations, having received the backing from their new owners.
The London giants were the biggest spenders during the summer transfer window with nearly £250 million spent on new signings, but this has not had a positive impact on their performances.
The club had to bolster their defence after the high-profile exits of Antonio Rudiger, Andreas Christensen and Marcos Alonso but in the process, they seem to have been left short up front.
The departures of Romelu Lukaku and Timo Werner were compensated with the signings of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Raheem Sterling, but neither player has been consistent thus far.
Sterling had a brilliant start to his Chelsea career similar to Aubameyang, but their performances over the past month have been far off from what we have been used to seeing over the years.
Kai Havertz and Armando Broja have also struggled to make sufficient impact up front and this raises questions whether Chelsea should have prioritised a striker in his prime last summer.
January solution
Chelsea have the opportunity to put things right during the next transfer window and we believe Brentford striker Ivan Toney could provide an instant solution for manager Graham Potter.
Toney netted 12 goals from 33 games in Brentford’s return to the top-flight last season and he has taken his game to the next level this campaign with 10 goals from just 14 appearances.
In all competitions, he has already amassed 11 goals from 16 outings and it may not be long before he secures a big-money switch in the quest for trophies as well as European football.
According to Transfermarkt, the 26-year-old is priced at £39.4 million and a proposal in the region of £60 million could seriously test Brentford’s resolve midway through the season.
The Englishman’s strong aerial presence and excellent finishing in the box is something that Chelsea have lacked. They should approach to land his signature at the beginning of 2023.
Chelsea are also known to be interested in RB Leipzig’s Christopher Nkunku, who is in the form of his life but realistically, the Bundesliga giants are unlikely to entertain his exit in January.
The London giants are currently eight points behind the final Champions League place. They will need to start quick off the blocks after the restart to salvage their league campaign.
