Chelsea to hold meeting over signing £84m “monster”

Chelsea’s first trophy since 2021 should hopefully give Enzo Maresca some credit in the bank and allow him the confidence to bolster his side ahead of the Champions League next season.

The Blues’ 4-1 victory over Real Betis in the Conference League final means they are the first team to win the Champions League, Europa League, UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup, and now the newest tournament on the calendar.

Given the quality of their squad, it was certainly expected, but the comeback from 1-0 down on Wednesday evening was still excellent.

This sets up the Stamford Bridge side wonderfully for the Club World Cup and the summer transfer window. It appears as though they are closing in on their first signing…

Chelsea closing in on Liam Delap

Liam Delap is one of the most in-demand centre-forwards in the Premier League due to his impressive debut season in the competition.

Although Ipswich Town suffered relegation, Delap scored 12 times across his 37 matches for the Tractor Boys. In the end, his goal involvements accounted for 39% of Ipswich’s total in the top flight.

These exploits in front of goal certainly attracted plenty of admirers, including Everton, Manchester United and Newcastle United, although the Blues appear to have won the race. Fabrizio Romano delivered the news about his impending move to London on X, revealing that an “agreement” had been struck.

For £30m, Chelsea are getting a bargain, especially if he goes on to become a major success at the club in the coming years.

Aged just 22, Delap is yet to hit his peak years as a player. His breakthrough campaign for Ipswich has given the Englishman a taste for top-flight football, no doubt about that.

While he may have netted 12 goals last season, Delap often tends to drop deep, linking up well with those behind. As such, he is excellent at driving forward with the ball, taking on the opposition defence regularly.

When compared to his positional peers in the Premier League, the former Manchester City starlet ranks in the top 10% for successful take-on percentage (46.5%) and in the top 12% for successful take-ons per 90 (1.39).

Combining this with the fact he ranks in the top 23% for carries into the final third (1.6) per 90 in the top flight, it is evident Delap does some of his best work outside the penalty area.

This all-round game would suit Maresca’s style and ensure Delap doesn’t get isolated as a lone striker.

Fending off other teams to secure Delap’s signature is a coup for Chelsea. But can Maresca go a stage further and perhaps bring in someone who might be an even bigger talent than the youngster?

Chelsea’s continued search for a striker

Viktor Gyokeres has been earmarked as a potential signing for the Blues, but Arsenal seem to be the favourites for the Swedish sensation.

Victor Osimhen is also on the club’s radar, but the one player who Maresca would love to bring to Stamford Bridge is Eintracht Frankfurt centre-forward, Hugo Ekitiké.

Any potential move could cost the club around €100m (£84m) this summer, although it looks like progress is being made.

As reported by French outlet Foot Mercato, that interest in the French striker appears set to be ramped up, with talks already said to be being held.

As per the report, a meeting has been scheduled to take place this week, involving Chelsea and the player’s agents, with Frankfurt having already begun work on acquiring a replacement.

Could the Blues be edging closer to signing another attacking talent?

Why Hugo Ekitike could be an instant Delap upgrade

Although the same age as Delap, the former PSG striker has been performing at a higher level for longer.

Indeed, he made his Ligue 1 debut during the 2020/21 season, going on to score 11 goals in just 28 games for Stade Reims in the French top flight.

This, plus an extraordinarily high ceiling for development, saw PSG sign him in the summer of 2022. Lofty expectations in the French capital meant he netted only three goals for the club, starting a mere 14 games.

In truth, he was unable to displace the great triumvirate of Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé and Neymar in Paris. Thus, a move to Frankfurt in the summer of 2023 provided plenty of solace.

Indeed, across his first two seasons with the Bundesliga side, Ekitike has netted 26 goals and registered 14 assists across 64 games. This works out as a goal involvement every 1.6 games.

Analyst and writer Sam McGuire hailed Ekitike as a “shot monster” and a “genuine goal threat” recently, and he has proven this season that he deserves another chance at a major European heavyweight.

Compared to his peers across Europe’s top five leagues, the young Frenchman has exuded superb statistics.

Not only does he rank in the top 6% for shot-creating actions (3.5) and touches in the attacking penalty area (6.73) per 90, he also ranks in the top 4% for progressive carries (3.04) and successful take-ons (1.9) per 90 across the previous 365 days.

Like Delap, he can also drop deeper to link with the midfield, but it is evident that he offers much more of a threat doing so than the Englishman.

Paying £84m for Ekitike could well be a big gamble for Chelsea, but given his statistics for Frankfurt recently, he has all the tools in his arsenal to shine in England.

Delap may be the homegrown talent, but the Frenchman looks as though he has the higher ceiling. That much is certain.