Enzo Maresca is now insisting that Chelsea move on from Victor Osimhen and sign a different striker to complement Nicolas Jackson at Stamford Bridge, according to a fresh report.
Chelsea's striker situation unclear
Jackson has enjoyed an excellent start to the season, grabbing six goals in ten Premier League outings so far and a further three assists. His form has been rewarded with a new contract, which ties him to the club until 2031, and his future in west London appears set in stone just 12 months after his arrival from Villarreal.
But beyond the Senegal international, Chelsea’s striker situation is far less clear. David Datro Fofana has been sent out on loan, but has started just two games so far in Turkey, while the signing of Marc Guiu from the Barcelona academy over the summer has had similar results, with the Spaniard not having been in any of Maresca’s last six Premier League squads.
Christopher Nkunku has also been overlooked regularly, with the Frenchman not having started in the top flight since the opening day of the season, and summer signing Joao Felix is yet to start a Premier League game.
The Blues were linked with a move for Napoli star man Victor Osimhen over the summer, only for a deal to fall through and the Nigerian striker to join Galatasaray on loan instead, where he has scored four times in five Turkish Super Lig outings.
Chelsea have reportedly remained in contact over a potential January move, but other options are also under consideration, and Maresca is pushing to sign an alternative.
Maresca wants Spanish star
Now, a fresh report from Spain has claimed that Chelsea boss Maresca is pushing hard to try and get Chelsea to sign new Porto star Samu Omorodion in place of Osimhen. Chelsea were in talks to sign the Spanish U21 international over the summer as part of the deal to sell Conor Gallagher to Atlético Madrid, but the deal fell through, and they moved to sign Felix instead.
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It would be a bold decision to part ways with him.
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Omorodion still left the Wanda Metropolitano, heading to Porto in a deal worth £12.7m plus potential add-ons, and handing Atleti a mammoth 50% sell on clause for any future deal.
He has hit the ground running in Portugal too, netting seven times in seven outings for Porto as well as four times in three Europa League outings, delivering on the “elite” label placed upon him by Football Analyst Ben Mattinson, who warned on X that he was “far too good” for the Portuguese league.
Omorodion’s Porto career to date
Appearances
11
Goals
11
Assists
0
Minutes per goal/assist
69
Yellow Cards
2
Now, Maresca is ‘insisting’ that Chelsea push to sign him once more as they look to bolster their frontline, but they will have to pay almost seven times what Porto paid to sign him, with the striker having a €100m (£84m) release clause, of which Atletico are due to get half.
It is added that “Samu is very happy with the Portuguese team”, but that should an offer come in, he could see his head turned by the prospect of a new project.
A deal in January seems unlikely, but with Omorodion having slipped through Chelsea’s net once already, they may be keen to avoid a repeat if he continues to perform.
