While Chelsea are delighted with the progress and development of Nicolas Jackson, it is no secret the club are looking to expand their striker options in the upcoming summer transfer window.
Jackson scored 14 goals in all competitions in his debut season with the club in 2023/24 and has bagged nine this time around despite playing over 1000 minutes fewer. The 23-year-old striker has been missing for a month-and-a-half now with a hamstring injury and that has made Chelsea, Enzo Maresca and the supporters recognise just how important the Senegal international is to the squad.
It certainly did not help when Marc Guiu, the club's only other out-and-out No.9, suffered an injury in the same match as Jackson; something that has forced Maresca to experiment with wingers at striker. Pedro Neto has done, all in all, a fine job as the No.9 for the Blues in Jackson's absence but it does not look like a long-term position for the Portuguese attacker.
Even before the injuries and the impact it has had on the squad, the plan from Chelsea's sporting directors, Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley, was always to address the No.9 position in the 2025 summer transfer window. They tried with Victor Osimhen last summer but the Blues could not reach an agreement with the Nigerian over his salary and he ended up moving to Galatasaray on loan.
Osimhen, though, remains on the club's radar going into the summer transfer window with Chelsea assessing their options for a new striker. There are plenty of other names that have also been linked with a move to Stamford Bridge before the 2025/26 season begins. And, with that being said, below football.london takes a look at those of interest to Chelsea and how they have fared this season.
Victor Osimhen
As we have already mentioned Osimhen, he is the best one to start with. The 26-year-old forward has been in electric form since switching Italy for Turkey last summer. With 26 goals and five assists in 30 appearances for Gala in all competitions this term, he remains one of the hottest properties in terms of No.9 in world football.
Chelsea were reluctant to meet Osimhen's wage demands last summer but remain interested in him ahead of the upcoming transfer window. While the Blues are unlikely to budge on what they offered the Nigeria international just under a year ago, they will be hoping for some change from the player's camp. However, after a fine season in Turkey, where he has once again demonstrated why he is one of the most in-demand strikers in football, that might not be the case.
A physically imposing centre-forward with bags of speed, strong aerial ability and a poacher's instinct in front of goal. He fits everything Chelsea are searching for in a No.9.
Liam Delap
It is no secret Chelsea are great admirers of Delap after the season he has had with Ipswich Town in the Premier League. The Tractor Boys look to be relegation-bound despite Delap's best efforts this term. With nine games of the campaign remaining, Ipswich are nine points from safety and looked destined to return to the Championship - something that would make keeping a player of Delap's quality and potential ridiculously difficult.
Ipswich would- likely struggle to do that even if they managed to perform the great escape and remain in the top division of English football. Delap has been directly involved in almost 50% of his team's goals this season, bagging 10 times and assisting twice in 28 appearances in the Premier League.
As Chelsea found out at Portman Road back in December, Delap is a powerful No.9 that loves to make himself a nuisance to opposition defenders. Not only this, but the 22-year-old has been deadly in front of goal this season in a side that creates few opportunities. The striker averages a goal in less than every three shots on target this season in the Premier League.
Viktor Gyokeres
One of the deadliest strikers in European football. Gyokeres has scored an astonishing 40 goals and provided 10 assists in 41 matches in all competitions this season for Sporting CP. The 26-year-old is on course to beat his incredible numbers from last season, where he scored 43 goals and provided 15 assists in 50 appearances across all competitions.
Rumour has it that the Sweden international has a €100million (£84million) release clause in his contract with the Portuguese club, who Chelsea now have a strong relationship with after the double signing of Geovany Quenda and Dario Essugo over the past week. For £84million, Chelsea would be getting a proven goal scorer at an age where he arguably has not even reached his prime years just yet.
Strong with both feet, with great acceleration to run in behind and an absolute monster in the air. Gyokeres is about as close as you get to a complete modern day No.9. The issue for Chelsea - and the same goes for all of these players - in such a deprived striker market, there will be immense competition for these targets; which makes qualifying for next season's Champions League all that more important at Stamford Bridge.
Benjamin Sesko
Sesko is perhaps not as prolific and deadly in front of goal as the likes of Gyokeres and Osimhen, but the RB Leipzig striker is considerably younger and has the potential to be so in the future. That is not to say the Slovenian does not return in front of goal because that is not true. In 78 appearances for Leipzig over the last two seasons, Sesko has scored 35 goals and provided eight assists in 78 matches, which averages to a direct goal contribution in more than every other game.
The German club are supposedly demanding around £63million for the 21-year-old's services in the summer and the striker has frequently insisted he is happy at the Red Bull Arena. Of course, that does not mean too much in modern day football.
At 6ft 4ins tall, Sesko has many strengths in the air. But for his height, it defies belief - and physics - at how quick he is. An imposing stature with blistering speed; there are serious shades of Erling Haaland.