Chelsea are heading towards another trophyless season as Mauricio Pochettino has failed to lead the team to silverware in his first year with the club.
The Argentine boss did take his men to the final of the League Cup, only to lose to Liverpool on penalties, but failed to make the final of the FA Cup and his side are currently ninth in the Premier League table.
They still have an opportunity to ensure that they have European football for the 2024/25 campaign, though, if they have a strong end to the season to climb the division, with five matches left to play.
Attention will then fully turn to the summer transfer window and what the club can do to bolster their playing squad to compete on all fronts next term.
Worth is reportedly already underway on that front, though, as the Blues are looking to sign a new centre-forward to lead the line for Pochettino.
Chelsea's interest in Bundesliga marksman
According to journalist Simon Phillips' Substack column, via Chelsea News, Chelsea have five strikers they are looking at ahead of the next transfer window.
The player who looks likely to be the club's top target in that position is RB Leipzig centre-forward Benjamin Sesko, who has a £42m release clause in his current contract.
Phillips claims that the Slovenia international has already been approached by the Blues, via his representatives, ahead of a possible move to Stamford Bridge in the coming months.
However, the reporter does not reveal whether or not the 20-year-old starlet is prepared to ditch the German club to make a move to England this summer.
He also does not state whether or not the London-based outfit are willing to pay his £42m release clause in full or if they will try to negotiate a lower fee.
Napoli's Victor Osimhen and Brentford's Ivan Toney are also mentioned by Phillips, who adds that Roma ace and ex-Chelsea man Tammy Abraham and Juventus star Dusan Vlahovic are also options for them if they fail to land their top targets.
This latest update suggests that plenty of work is going on behind the scenes to ensure that they have a long list of options to pursue this summer to secure a new number nine to lead the line at Stamford Bridge next season.
Sesko is possibly the priority at this moment in time, given that the club have approached him over a possible deal to bring him to England, and he could be a dream signing to partner with Cole Palmer moving forward.
Cole Palmer's form for Chelsea this season
Signed from Manchester City on a permanent move last summer, the left-footed magician has enjoyed a sensational first season with the Blues this term.
The 21-year-old wizard has showcased his quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals from an attacking midfield or wide position in the Premier League this season.
He had racked up six goals and two assists in 41 first-team matches for Pep Guardiola before his switch to London last year, which did not suggest that the young gem was guaranteed to hit the ground running with Chelsea this term.
That is exactly what the talented star has done, though, with his almost constant stream of goals and assists for Pochettino's side throughout the campaign.
Appearances
29
xG
15.56
Goals
20
xA
6.71
Assists
9
Big chances created
12
As you can see in the table above, Palmer has averaged a direct goal contribution every match on average in the Premier League with a return of 29 goals and assists in 29 matches.
His goalscoring exploits, with 20 strikes from just 15.56 xG, have caught the eye but his creativity for his teammates has also been sensational in the top-flight.
The England international currently ranks within the top 6% of Premier League attacking midfielders and wingers for Expected Assisted Goals per 90 (0.34), the top 7% for assists per 90 (0.37), and the top 9% for shot-creating actions per 90 (5.38).
These statistics show that Palmer is one of the best players in his position in the division at creating high-quality opportunities for his fellow attackers.
This is why Chelsea signing a high-quality striker would be a dream for the English phenom, as he would have a teammate who can make the most of his outstanding chance creation.
Why Chelsea should sign Benjamin Sesko
The Blues should complete a deal to sign Sesko this summer as he has the potential to be the dream signing to partner with Palmer next season, and beyond.
Once dubbed a "machine" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the 20-year-old sensation joined RB Leipzig from RB Salzburg in the summer of 2023 after a sublime return of 29 goals and 11 assists in 79 matches for the Austrian side as a teenager.
He initially arrived as a back-up option for the German outfit but has earned himself a place in the starting XI and has showcased his lethal nature in front of goal.
Appearances
28
30
Starts
15
26
xG
7.23
14.75
Goals
11
10
Big chances missed
8
21
Conversion rate
27%
16%
Assists
2
4
As you can see in the table above, Sesko has been clinical in the final third with 11 goals from 7.23 xG, whilst current Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson has fewer goals from more than double the Slovenian star's xG.
This suggests that the Leipzig ace is a significantly better finisher than the Senegal international, as he has overperformed his xG and missed less than half as many 'big chances' as the Blues forward.
In fact, Sesko ranks within the top 10% of strikers in the Men's Big 5 Leagues and European competitions over the last 365 days for non-penalty goals per 90 (0.67), which speaks to how impressive the centre-forward has been as a goalscorer in Germany.
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Therefore, the 20-year-old Chelsea target could be a dream for Palmer as his statistics suggest that he is far more likely to make the most of the Englishman's creativity than Jackson, whose finishing has left a lot to be desired.
