It is safe to say that Chelsea need to strengthen their roster this summer, with Xabi Alonso arriving. The Blues most definitely need to be scoring more often. The 2-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur was the first game in which they scored more than once since their March 5 victory over Aston Villa.
Incidentally, this was the first one they won since that fixture as well. So, that just goes to show that there is a direct correlation between scoring more often and winning games.
It has been suggested that as many as two strikers could leave the club. It is not difficult to come up with potential candidates. Liam Delap is someone who has failed to make an impression since his move to Chelsea. Nicolas Jackson is highly regarded by many but that does not mean he has a future at the club. Let’s see if Alonso’s arrival changes that. And then there is Marc Guiu, who could do with a loan spell away.
Of course, Chelsea will need to replace them. And according to a report from Simon Phillips, Pio Esposito is one of the players who has been discussed internally at the club ahead of the summer transfer window.
Who is Pio Esposito?
Esposito is 20 years of age and is starting to make his mark at Inter Milan. This season, he scored 9 goals and provided 6 assists in 47 appearances and 2175 minutes of football across all competitions.
Those are not the most glittering numbers. But they are not bad either for a striker who is just breaking through at the senior level, and at a club the stature of Esposito.
He has also made seven appearances for the Italian national team already. He has scored three goals as well.
Chelsea do have a habit of signing some of the best rising talents in the game. And Esposito is someone who falls in that category. So, it is not hard to see why the Blues might be interested in him.
Would Esposito be a good signing for Chelsea?
Of course, there will be some doubts about any potential move as well. Firstly, you can never predict how someone’s development will go. Chelsea will know that better than most, having spent north of a billion pounds on a squad that can’t even qualify for the Champions League.
Then there is the fact that Serie A is not the strongest league in the world right now. The football is very different to the Premier League as well. So, a striker coming in from the Italian top flight could struggle.
It remains to be seen if Chelsea do end up making a move for the Italian international this summer. If they do, one would hope that they sign a much more proven striker alongside him as well.
Sourav Mahanty
Sourav Mahanty has covered teams like Chelsea, Celtic, Real Madrid, Manchester United, PSG and more over a career that has now lasted a decade. His work has been featured on Sports Illustrated, Athlon Sports, SB Nation, FanSided, The Sportster and aggregated through Bleacher Report and NewsNow. Outside of football, he is also interested in basketball, cricket and professional wrestling.
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