Liam Rosenior needs some fresh attacking options this summer in order to succeed at Chelseaplaceholder image
Liam Rosenior needs some fresh attacking options this summer in order to succeed at Chelsea | Getty Images
Chelsea have been linked with a transfer bid for a striker with immense potential - but would his signing be too much of a risk?
Chelsea have a few issues with their squad which need to be resolved before they can seriously contend for the Premier League title, or even for a regular spot in the top four – but arguably the single biggest problem in need of a resolution is up front.
Since making the decision to move on from Nicolas Jackson last summer, Chelsea have added both João Pedro and Liam Delap to the ranks. The latter has struggled, with just a single league goal to his name, and while the former has perhaps exceeded expectations operating as a striker, his best role may yet prove to be a supporting one.
That leaves Chelsea in the market for a genuine number nine once again – and according to new transfer reports, they may have identified a pricy target currently playing at PSG…
Why Chelsea could be interested in PSG striker Gonçalo Ramos
According to a new story from TeamTalk, Chelsea have already made contact with the representatives of PSG and Portugal striker Gonçalo Ramos ahead of a potential transfer bid this summer – a deal which could cost Chelsea a pretty penny, given that he set PSG back a hefty €80m (£69m) when he was signed from Benfica in 2023.
Now 24, Ramos boasts an impressive scoring record but has still struggled to fully establish himself as a starter in Paris. Just 10 of his 24 Ligue 1 appearances this season have been as a part of the starting line-up, and with his contract entering its final two years there is a growing chance that PSG could be open to offers for a forward who has scored 44 goals in 124 appearances for the Qatari-backed club.
Chelsea, for their part, would be getting a more natural striker than João Pedro and perhaps one who has a more well-rounded game than Delap. A traditional, off-the-shoulder number nine by inclination, Ramos is also a fine technician who can drop back into deeper areas to help unpick low blocks, and who can create opportunities as well as score them himself.
The difficulty he has faced at PSG is that Luis Enrique has simply preferred even more fluent players up front in a dynamic front three – the likes of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Ousmane Dembélé and Desiré Doué are more mobile and nimble while proving equally predatory, and even if none a ‘natural’ number nines, they tend to get the nod in the centre-forward role ahead of Ramos.
Despite that, he could easily still be a fine signing for Chelsea. His scoring record for club and country is thoroughly respectable, and he offers a good balance of the capacity to get in behind higher defences while being able to tie things together in front of a deep back line if required. That should offer Chelsea some of the tactical flexibility they are perhaps lacking in Delap.
He lines up neatly with Chelsea’s policy of signing younger players with the potential to grow and improve, too, so it’s scarcely difficult to imagine that there would be some interest on their part – but how likely is it that the Blues successfully sign Ramos this summer?
Will Chelsea sign Ramos this summer – or will another side beat them to it?
If TeamTalk’s reporting on the situation surrounding Ramos is accurate, then PSG are likely to look to sell while the forward retains a high transfer value. Leave it much longer, and his price tag would decline as the end of his contract nears.
Precisely what Ramos might cost is unclear, but it’s likely to be a high-value transfer of the sort which Chelsea have perhaps made too much of a habit of. They have struggled to comply with UEFA’s financial fair play rules in recent seasons, and have just posted the largest pre-tax loss in Premier League history. Whether that puts them off making a bid remains to be seen.
Even if they do enter the fray with a formal offer, however, they are far from guaranteed to land their man. Financial considerations notwithstanding, there are several teams apparently interested in striking a deal.
Newcastle United are mentioned as a potential candidate in TeamTalk’s report, with the Magpies keen to find their own answers up front after disappointing debut seasons from Yoane Wissa and Nick Woltemade. Elsewhere, Atlético Madrid, AC Milan, Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig are all said to be suitors.
There is a growing likelihood that Ramos leaves PSG this summer, but predicting his eventual destination is challenging, especially with no clarity on PSG’s asking price. There are several sides mentioned above who could be priced out if PSG get greedy.
Chelsea, however, are scarcely shrinking violets in the transfer market – if any team is willing to take a big-money gamble on a young forward with immense potential but only a respectable track record, it’s probably them. Whether they take the plunge will become clear in the coming weeks and months.
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