Chelsea are eyeing a £34 million alternative to the heavily-linked RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko, coming after internal conversations over the player in question and amid a big update on the Slovenia international on Tuesday.
Chelsea miss out on Sesko as Boehly targets forward
Todd Boehly and Stamford Bridge chiefs are looking to bring in a striker, as they seek to back new head coach Enzo Maresca with a proven goalscorer and outlet in the forward area.
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He starred for his club last season.
The west Londoners were heavily reliant on Cole Palmer for the vast majority of their attacking potency last season, with the young England international scoring an exceptional 22 goals in the Premier League alone.
|
Chelsea’s top scorer in all competitions last season |
Goals |
|---|---|
|
Cole Palmer |
25 |
|
Nicolas Jackson |
17 |
|
Raheem Sterling |
10 |
|
Noni Madueke |
8 |
|
Conor Gallagher |
7 |
While Nicolas Jackson, who Chelsea signed from Villarreal last summer, also put in some very promising performances and scored 17 in all competitions himself – concerns remain over the 22-year-old’s suitability to lead the line.
As a result, Chelsea threw their hat in the race to sign Sesko from RB Leipzig, with the 21-year-old scoring 18 goals in all competitions last term. The £55 million release clause in Sesko’s contract was a big draw for elite clubs like Chelsea and Arsenal, as prolific front men often come at a much more extortionate premium.
However, as shared by Fabrizio Romano on Tuesday, Chelsea and other interested sides now look set to miss out on Sesko. Indeed, the striker will actually pen new terms at Leipzig and remain in the Bundesliga – dealing a blow to Maresca in his pursuit of a target man.
It’s now back to the drawing board for Chelsea, who must scour for alternative options. One enticing candidate, according to GiveMeSport this week, is Girona star Artem Dovbyk. The Ukraine international, who will represent his country at Euro 2024, finished last campaign as the top scorer in La Liga with 24 goals for Michel’s side.
Chelsea targeting Dovbyk as alternative to Sesko
As per GMS, after internal conversations, Chelsea are targeting Dovbyk as an alternative to Sesko. The 26-year-old was prolific for Girona last season, and to make matters even more interesting, he could actually leave Spain for the Premier League at a very reasonable cost.
As per Romano, Dovbyk’s contract includes a £34 million release clause, which will surely be very enticing for co-sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley as they lead Chelsea’s transfer plans.
“Dovbyk has it all,” said former Mallorca striker Dani Guiza.
“He is a tank, he is fast, and a goal scorer. Big teams will fight for him, but hopefully, he will stay at Girona. It is very difficult for a small club to have a player who wins the Pichichi. If Dovbyk continues like this, it will be a sign of a good player.”
