Could Liam Rosenior get one of the Premier League's most dangerous strikers this summer?placeholder image
Could Liam Rosenior get one of the Premier League's most dangerous strikers this summer? | AFP via Getty Images
Chelsea have been linked with one of the Premier League’s most dangerous strikers - but could a deal really take place?
As Chelsea continue to battle away in the hopes of qualifying for next season’s Champions League, at least some of their energy will be being devoted to the summer transfer window – and solving some of the lingering problems within the squad, not least up front.
While João Pedro has been a hit since signing from Brighton & Hove Albion, fellow striker Liam Delap has struggled, and there is a sense that Chelsea want to find an out-and-out number nine to score the goals while Pedro plays more of a supporting role – and according to a new transfer rumour, they may have settled on a target…
The proven Premier League striker ‘on Chelsea’s radar’ this summer
According to a new report from gossip website TeamTalk, Brentford striker Igor Thiago is “on Chelsea’s radar” after a superb season in which he has scored 21 goals in 31 matches, second only to Erling Haaland in the Premier League.
Having missed most of his debut season with Brentford due to a serious knee injury, the Brazilian has made up for lost time with remarkable speed. Strong, capable of shrugging off markers with ease and plainly blessed with impressive natural finishing quality, Thiago could be just what Chelsea are looking for.
While Pedro has served well as a centre-forward, there is a strong argument that he is at his best operating either as a number 10 or as a left winger, providing chances rather than acting as the central focus of the attack. Thiago is less mobile and certainly less technical that his compatriot, but has the traditional number nine’s skillset that Chelsea are missing.
Given that they don’t play an especially direct style of football under Liam Rosenior, there is some debate to be had as to whether a player like Thiago is precisely what Chelsea need. There won’t be all that many crosses floated into the box for him to feed off, but his ability to occupy defenders, create space for those around him and bury half-chances would give the club’s attack a dimension it has been lacking.
Delap’s struggles have perhaps demonstrated that a pacy, off-the-shoulder striker isn’t really what they need. Thiago represents a more classical style of striker, a player closer to Didier Drogba than anybody currently on the books. The hope, if Chelsea do indeed attempt to sign him, is presumably that he would change the team’s dynamic in much the same way that Haaland did at Manchester City.
Given Thiago’s success this season, it would scarcely be surprising if sides of Chelsea’s stature did indeed take a close look at the possibility of a transfer. But just how likely is it that such a deal takes place?
Will Chelsea sign Igor Thiago in the summer transfer window?
As it stands, there has been no corroboration of TeamTalk’s story from the more reliable sections of the media, but on paper there is no reason that the rumour shouldn’t have some truth to back it up – especially given that there is every chance that Delap leaves this summer.
Following a lacklustre debut campaign, there are a growing number of stories circulating which suggest that the Blues – never a side to hang on to a player they aren’t entirely sure about – could move him on this summer and reinvest the funds accrued. That would generate funds for a big splash and create a space in the squad for a striker like Thiago. That doesn’t mean that he would be the most likely target.
Thiago fits the profile of players that Chelsea like to sign, at least. At the age of 24, he has the potential to retain his transfer value for years to come, something the club prioritise with new signings – this is a team who haven’t signed a player over the age of 25 since the first year of BlueCo’s reign.
The issue might be the costs involved. While Brentford remain a selling club, they have immense leverage with Thiago under contract until 2031 after he signed a new extension in February. The price tag would be exceptionally high, while Chelsea – who posted a record-breaking £355m pre-tax loss for the 2024/25 season – have to worry about sanctions if they breach UEFA’s spending regulations.
A deal wouldn’t be easy to do, then, and Chelsea will surely have other players on their shortlist who are both cheaper and more easily obtained – but none who will have such a strong goalscoring record in the Premier League. This is a deal which makes plenty of sense for the Blues on paper. The question is whether it’s possible in practice, and that’s something that can’t be answered until the summer.
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