Now that the transfer window is finally shut, Enzo Maresca can settle at Chelsea with his squad and relax on the madness of incomings and outgoings until atleast January.
The Blues have already generated 11 “big chances” in their opening three Premier League fixtures, five of which came against Crystal Palace in their recent 1-1 draw. The lack of clinical finishing continues to be a hot topic around the club in recent times.
Current striker, Nicolas Jackson made 44 appearances for Chelsea in all competitions last season, scoring 17 goals, providing six assists, and totalling 3,534 minutes played but they could have signed an upgrade.
The Victor Osimhen transfer saga
Fabrizio Romano confirmed on transfer deadline day that talks between Victor Osimhen and Chelsea had broken down in the final hours, stopping a move to Stamford Bridge for the Nigerian striker.
The 25-year-old has now agreed to a loan move to Galatasaray, which also included a contract negotiation with Napoli, to lower his release clause should another team approach him in January.
Osimhen made 32 appearances in all competitions for Napoli last season, scoring 17 goals and providing four assists in 2,476 minutes played.
So, who will the club turn to next? How they wish they had a star of the past to solve their offensive woes, someone who Osimhen has coincidentally been compared to in his career.
How Didier Drogba would work in Maresca’s system
Described as a “big game player” and a “fighter” by José Mourinho, Didier Drogba – Osimhen’s idol – would be the perfect answer to Chelsea’s striker woes in the current state.
Drogba joined Chelsea in 2004, spending eight years at the club, before leaving in 2012, and rejoining for the 2014/15 campaign, as his last hurrah in a Chelsea shirt. The Ivorian striker made 381 appearances for the Blues, scoring 164 goals and providing 88 assists.
|
Didier Drogba G/A seasons (Premier League) |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Season |
Goals |
Assists |
|
2004/05 |
10 |
5 |
|
2005/06 |
12 |
15 |
|
2006/07 |
20 |
4 |
|
2007/08 |
8 |
6 |
|
2008/09 |
5 |
4 |
|
2009/10 |
29 |
13 |
|
2010/11 |
11 |
15 |
|
2011/12 |
5 |
1 |
|
2014/15 |
4 |
1 |
|
Stats taken from Transfermarkt |
||
Drogba is a huge name in English football, being a huge part of a Chelsea core group that won multiple Premier League titles, and a Champions League in 2012.
However, it wasn’t his goal record that made him truly stand out, it was his all-round game, and how he could offer different attributes to the side.
The Chelsea legend was known for stepping up in big moments, playing in ten finals and scoring in seven of those massive matches. Not only that, but standing at 6 foot 2, Drogba was aerially dominant, whilst having the technical ability to drop in and link play.
That certainly sounds a bit like Osimhen, doesn’t it?
His widespread set of skills allowed him to be a tactical tool for his managers, holding up the ball to bully defenders and score goals, getting on the end of crosses, but also dropping deep to link play when needed.
This is the exact striker Maresca is looking for, someone who would fix all of Chelsea’s problems, not only with clinical finishing, but box presence, link-up play, and aerial prowess, a mixture of the tools both Jackson and Osimhen would have given the Stamford Bridge outfit had they been paired together.
