Romano reveals Chelsea's 'absolute priority' for next year
Robin Bairner
- 8 Nov 2023 00:25 CST
- 3 min read
Fabrizio Romano has revealed Chelsea’s “absolute priority” for 2024 as Mauricio Pochettino tries to steer his side up the Premier League table.
Although the Blues have spent over €1 billion in the last three transfer windows, the Blues are still only 10th in the standings.
And Romano says that Chelsea are prepared to spend big in order to solve the goal-scoring issue that has dogged them over the whole period that Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital have owned the club.
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Brentford’s Ivan Toney and Napoli’s Victor Osimhen are two names that have been consistently linked with a move to the club in recent months, and while Romano would not commit to saying that the Stamford Bridge club would certainly land either player, he did indicate that there is likely to be an effort made to sign at least one.
Speaking to The Debrief podcast, he said: “For Chelsea to get a new striker is an absolute priority, but in January it’s not easy to find the right player.
“We know they like talented young players. For sure they also like Ivan Toney, but let’s see how much they’re prepared to invest.
“Victor Osimhen is also appreciated but Napoli will push to keep him until at least the end of the season, so a January move is really complicated. Still, for sure a new striker is one of Chelsea’s priorities for 2024.”
Toney or Osimhen for Chelsea?
Toney is set to be the easier option in the immediate future, with Brentford apparently open to selling a forward who is currently suspended because of gambling. His price is expected to be significant, while other clubs are also linked with a move for the England international.
Napoli, meanwhile, have been adamant that they will not sell Osimhen in January, although with contract talks at an impasse, a deal in the summer appears possible.
All of this is bad news for Nicolas Jackson, who has struggled to impress since arriving at Chelsea from Villarreal, although Pochettino will be eager to see what the striker can produce after netting a hat-trick in the dramatic 4-1 win over nine-man Tottenham on Monday.
