Chelsea are planning a pre-agreement deal to sign Strasbourg striker Emanuel Emegha in 2026, according to [Fabrizio Romano](https://x.com/FabrizioRomano/status/1927130714719301972).
The Dutch striker will not leave Strasbourg this summer. He will help them in the Europa Conference League. However, Chelsea want him at Stamford Bridge next summer.
Chelsea already have a similar deal in place for defender Mamadou Sarr and have now set their sight on Emegha, who impressed in Ligue 1 this season.
The 22-year-old is a product of the highly acclaimed Sturm Graz striker factory.
He bagged 14 goals in 27 appearances this season. This translates to 0.55 non-penalty goals per 90 minutes – the 7th-highest in Ligue 1.
Emegha is fantastic in counterattacking situations, and even though he is still wasteful in front of goal, he has room for improvement before he even gets to London.
Chelsea continue to skirt around their striker problem, choosing to gamble on young gems like Nicolas Jackson, Marc Guiu, and now Emegha.
The club needs a striker, and they have their radar on players like Hugo Ekitike and Liam Delap.
None of these forwards have shown that they are ready to lead the line for a club like Chelsea. No player listed above has ever crossed the 20-league goals mark.
Chelsea need a lethal, box-dominant world-class striker who can lead them into battles, yet they continue to fight for counterattacking centre-forwards who do not move the needle.
Chelsea already have one of the youngest squads in Europe and should be trying to add experience. Instead, they remain focused on stockpiling talents and not solving real problems.
If Chelsea have €100 million to blow on [Ekitike](https://footballtoday.com/2025/05/26/chelsea-intensify-ekitike-pursuit-e100m-bid-looms-for-frankfurt-star-striker/), surely they can afford to sign a ready-made player like Victor Osimhen or Viktor Gyokeres – players who have led teams to titles.
Until Chelsea stop treating their striker search like a long-term stock portfolio and start acting like a club chasing silverware, the gap between potential and production will remain.
Emegha might become a star one day, but Chelsea need someone who already is. A club of their stature shouldn’t be hoping for a breakout. They should be demanding guaranteed goals.