Chelsea are reportedly stepping up their search for a new centre-forward ahead of next season. They are very interested in Brentford striker Igor Thiago. The club have been interested in him for a long time, as BlueCo were tracking him while he was playing for Club Brugge. They reportedly even discussed him internally in 2024 before he finally moved to Brentford.
The 24-year-old has become one of the most dangerous forwards in the Premier League since moving to west London this season. Thiago has scored 18 goals and assisted on one in 29 Premier League games this season. He is second only to Erling Haaland in the league’s scoring charts, with an incredible record of a goal every 137 minutes. He scored five goals in four games in November and won the Premier League Player of the Month award. In January, he scored a hat trick in a 4-2 win at Everton.
Pat Nevin, a former Chelsea winger, has told TEAMtalk that the Blues should go after the Brentford star:
“Given the route they’re trying just now — if there was one that was closest, it would probably be Igor Thiago. Because you look at that and think, right, okay, you’re scoring in the Premier League, and you are only 24. So somebody who is currently doing it in the Premier League, maybe he’s the one.”
Thiago just signed a new long-term contract that will keep him at Brentford until 2031, with the Bees protecting the value of one of their most valuable players. Manchester City and Bayern Munich have also conducted extensive research on the Brazilian forward because they see him as a potential long-term replacement for Haaland and Harry Kane, respectively.
Chelsea’s attacking options this season show why BlueCo want more players. Joao Pedro has done well, but Liam Delap has had a hard time scoring, with only two goals in 24 games, one of which was in the Premier League. This summer, Emmanuel Emegha and Dastan Satpaev will both join Chelsea. However, the club are still interested in making a deal for Thiago.
Do Chelsea Need More Attackers?
Chelsea fans are having a lively debate about the club’s priorities going into the summer transfer window because of the interest in Thiago. Several fan-led discussions have pointed to the need for more defensive help as the most important issue, since Chelsea’s defence have not been consistent or well-led this season.
People are also worried that Thiago might not perform as well at Stamford Bridge as he did at Brentford, where he will face low blocks every week and have less space and fewer chances to counterattack. The fact that Delap has had trouble since coming from a smaller club sticks in the minds of the fans.
Joao Pedro’s performances show that the attack doesn’t really need another player, but Nicolas Jackson’s future is uncertain, and Emegha has been hurt a lot this season, so it might make sense to add depth to a key position.