Chelsea`s relentless pursuit of forwards shows no sign of stopping. Since the Clearlake Capital consortium took control in the summer of 2022, the club has permanently signed 19 wingers, strikers, and attacking midfielders. That figure is set to reach a round 20 soon, with Borussia Dortmund`s Jamie Gittens expected to finalize his move after the Club World Cup, following the $69 million acquisition of Joao Pedro from Brighton and Hove Albion.
This extensive spending totals over half a billion dollars invested solely in the attack over three years under the leadership of Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali. What`s striking is that despite the massive outlay, some of these signings felt necessary. While opinions may vary on the specific players targeted, by the end of last season, it was clear Enzo Maresca`s squad needed a left winger to replace Jadon Sancho (who returned to Manchester United) and a second senior striker to either challenge or complement Nicolas Jackson. To elevate from Champions League contenders to title challengers, further injections of talent seemed essential.
However, as this lengthy list reveals, there are many other factors to consider beyond whether the current forwards can win major trophies. What market exists for Raheem Sterling, who has two years left on his $410,000-a-week contract, his value diminished by a disappointing loan at Arsenal? Are Deivid Washington and David Datro Fofana destined to become part of a new “loan army,” spending years moving between clubs, hoping for a permanent transfer opportunity?
There`s considerable material to analyze and rank. The ranking method blends importance to the team with the quality of recent performances, making it more of an art than a precise science. You might be surprised by the player at the top spot…
1. Cole Palmer
More than just Chelsea`s top player, Cole Palmer is the perfect example of how the club`s recruitment strategy *should* work. Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart`s decision to spend around $55 million to sign Palmer from the fringes of the Manchester City squad was bold, yet they could easily double or even treble that fee if they chose to sell (which is highly unlikely). Early last season, he was arguably the Premier League`s best attacker aside from Mohamed Salah, and despite a slight dip later on, he finished in the league`s top 10 for both assists and goals. With Palmer, Chelsea has a player capable of being a star on a championship-winning side.
2. Nicolas Jackson
Nicolas Jackson can be frustrating at times, but regardless of whether the ball finds the net, he consistently does one crucial thing that top strikers do: he gets shots away. Last season, he averaged 3.41 non-penalty shots per 90 minutes, matching Erling Haaland`s number exactly. His non-penalty expected goals (xG) of 0.55 is also highly impressive, and his shot chart demonstrates that many of his attempts are from good positions, with his 0.163 xG per shot being significantly above the Premier League average. His strong link-up with Cole Palmer is also noteworthy.
There are questions about his finishing composure and maturity, but it`s worth remembering he`s still only 24. With a contract extending past his 32nd birthday, there`s ample time for him to refine the aspects that currently separate him from a top-tier striker like Victor Osimhen.
3. Joao Pedro
Since arriving in England with Watford five years ago, Joao Pedro has consistently appeared to be a genuinely interesting player. He possesses the fundamental qualities, and his ability to create shooting opportunities for himself and teammates, along with drawing fouls, indicates a tactical understanding beyond his 23 years. Joao Pedro has been used across the forward line, which could highlight his versatility or perhaps suggest he hasn`t fully mastered one specific role. While his 19 goals over the last two Premier League seasons sound good, nine of those were penalties. Judging him as a striker, he excels at less traditional striker tasks like assisting, progressing the ball, and winning possession. Compared to wingers, he takes plenty of shots. A versatile `tweener` forward is a valuable asset, though potentially expensive at $70 million.
It didn`t take long to get to the more questionable players, did it?
4. Liam Delap
Another player whose future impact is hard to predict. Liam Delap performed well last season for an Ipswich side that ultimately faced relegation. Alongside his 12 goals, he brought strong work rate as a central forward. Generously, he averaged eight shots per 100 touches last season, higher than anyone in the current Chelsea squad except Jackson. The basic physical and technical attributes are present, and he`s shown promise in the Club World Cup. But can he make the leap to become a starting number nine for a title-challenging team?
5. Jamie Gittens
The only player on this list not yet officially a Chelsea player, Gittens is expected to complete his move from Borussia Dortmund after the Club World Cup. When he arrives, he will add valuable speed and the ability to directly challenge and beat defenders on the wing. He was devastating in the Bundesliga`s transition-heavy games, but his eight goals came from an expected goals total of just 3.6. To truly thrive in England, he needs to improve his output as both a creator and a finisher. At $76.1 million, this looks like a gamble, but Gittens shoots well and can be gradually integrated as a third attacking option in a 4-2-3-1 formation. This signing could prove very successful.
6. Noni Madueke
Based purely on talent, Madueke belongs in the third spot. The young winger showed signs of taking a significant step forward last season, with his tally of 11 goals and four assists perhaps not fully reflecting how consistently the 23-year-old got into dangerous positions. Averaging three and a half shots per 90 minutes is an excellent indicator for a winger, especially as he avoids taking speculative long-range efforts just to boost numbers. If Madueke maintains his trajectory from 2024-25, he could become one of England`s top attackers relatively soon.
It`s therefore puzzling that Chelsea seems willing to sell him to fund other transfers. Doubling their initial investment would represent an emphatic success for the signing. However, having developed a player to the point where he`s on the cusp of being a genuinely dangerous Premier League attacker, wouldn`t it make sense for the club to reap the rewards of that development?
7. Pedro Neto
After outbidding rivals with a deal worth over $70 million, Chelsea got more than they could have reasonably hoped for from Pedro Neto in one crucial area: games played. His 44 appearances across all competitions surpassed his total from the previous two years at Wolves combined. However, these games highlighted that Neto`s issue wasn`t a lack of match fitness. He simply doesn`t provide end product as frequently as expected, with his six goals coming from an expected goals total of just 3.8. A combined expected goals and expected assists of 0.33 per 90 Premier League minutes falls below the standard Chelsea should demand.
8. Estevao Willian
It is, of course, impossible to predict how the 18-year-old will adapt after his move from Brazil to England this summer. However, from a very young age, he was dominating domestically, scoring 13 goals and assisting nine in his age-16 season for Palmeiras. How Estevao Willian will settle in London remains to be seen, but his promising performance against Porto in the Club World Cup offers positive signs for his future in Europe.
9. Tyrique George
One of the most positive outcomes of Chelsea`s participation in the Conference League was the senior game time it provided for Tyrique George. By the end of the season, he had transitioned from getting meaningful minutes with the reserves to playing a supersub role in the Premier League. Reports suggest the 19-year-old might go out on loan this summer, which seems a sensible step given he appears ready for consistent game time that Maresca might not be able to offer.
10. Christopher Nkunku
If a suitable offer arrives, Christopher Nkunku`s departure from Chelsea seems likely. Last season was a difficult one for the former Bundesliga Player of the Season. Given the club`s inconsistent transfer record under the current ownership, it`s tempting to look for flaws that should have been apparent when they signed the 27-year-old. In all likelihood, this was simply a case of Nkunku suffering an unfortunate injury just as he seemed set for a big season, combined with Cole Palmer subsequently excelling in the number 10 role.
11. Marc Guiu
There`s no denying that Marc Guiu was simply too good for teams like Shamrock Rovers, Astana, and the others in the Conference League. What this means for his long-term future as a center forward at Chelsea will probably only become clear after one or two seasons out on loan. Still, as a $7 million acquisition, there is relatively little risk for the Blues regarding the 19-year-old`s development.
12. Kendry Paez
Another player whose potential impact on the Chelsea side is yet to be determined. Kendry Paez is expected to spend next season on loan at Strasbourg, which will be the attacking midfielder`s first experience of European football. He holds the records for both the youngest debutant and scorer in Ecuador`s top flight.
13. Carney Chukwuemeka
Some might argue that Carney Chukwuemeka is included on this list merely to reach the number 20. To that, one might simply quote the player himself: `I prefer not to speak.` However, if compelled to comment, it could be noted that he occupies the same attacking midfield position as Palmer, thus justifying his inclusion.
Regarding Chukwuemeka the player, the glimpses seen in a Chelsea shirt suggest a genuinely talented prospect whose early career has been hampered by injuries. While the Blues would prefer to sell the former Aston Villa player, they may have to settle for another year of loaning him out, with Borussia Dortmund reportedly more open to a temporary deal than meeting Chelsea`s asking price.
14. Armando Broja
Armando Broja has been linked with temporary moves for some time, not helped by seemingly unrealistic valuations like the purported $68.5 million Chelsea wanted for him in January 2024. In 331 Premier League minutes while on loan at Everton last season, Broja managed only four shots. It seems unlikely Chelsea will secure a significant transfer fee for him this summer.
15. Omari Kellyman
A case could be made for not including Kellyman on this list, as a hamstring injury prevented him from going on loan, featuring in the Conference League, or getting youth team minutes last season. However, Chelsea did spend $26 million on him last summer. That level of investment suggests first-team potential, even if it`s not yet clear if the club acquired a player who can genuinely impact the senior squad.
16. David Datro Fofana
When Chelsea signed Fofana, he appeared to be a star unearthed by their scouts in Norway. However, three loan spells since then have yielded little notable progress, with the latter half of last season spent recovering from a knee injury. The club will likely struggle to find a team willing to sign Fofana permanently.
17. Deivid Washington
Let`s check in on how Deivid Washington is progressing, given a chance to develop form back in his homeland with Santos…
That doesn`t look particularly promising, does it?
18. Raheem Sterling
It`s not necessarily that these bottom three players lack talent compared to those above them, nor is it entirely impossible to envision them establishing careers at Chelsea. However, it`s close to impossible, particularly in Sterling`s case.
Perhaps a Premier League club might take a chance on Sterling, gambling that his issues at Arsenal weren`t due to declining physical ability but a lack of consistent playing time. One could picture him at Crystal Palace or Fulham if he were willing to take a significant pay cut from his current large salary. However, his struggles at Arsenal strongly suggested a decline in his physical capabilities, indicating he was already past his peak even before joining Chelsea.
19. Joao Felix
Of the three players at the bottom of this list, Joao Felix`s ongoing presence is perhaps the most perplexing. The club had a clear opportunity to assess him during the second half of the 2022-23 season, where a generous evaluation would deem him a talented player but not one worth committing significant long-term funds to.
Yet, Chelsea did exactly that ten months ago, in a move that appeared intended to facilitate the sale of the valuable Conor Gallagher. Now, they face the prospect of six more years of Felix unless they can find a buyer. A Saudi Arabian club might offer a solution that is appealing to both Chelsea and the player. Without that possibility, it`s difficult to see any easy options for Chelsea beyond a continuous cycle of subsidized loan deals.
20. Mykhailo Mudryk
While Chelsea might find ways to offload Sterling and Felix, even if not for ideal fees, moving on Mykhailo Mudryk appears significantly more challenging at the time of writing. He is currently facing a potential ban of up to four years following a failed drug test. Even if he received the maximum ban starting from his provisional suspension date, he would still have two and a half years remaining on his Chelsea contract when he became eligible to play again (though questions regarding contract termination for gross misconduct would likely arise).
Regardless of the ban situation, Mudryk has not been an impressive signing since Chelsea committed up to $118 million for him. The Ukrainian winger almost immediately looked like a player who struggled to effectively utilize his pace, contributing only 10 goals and 11 assists across 73 appearances.
Adrian Whitmore