Chelsea could already be turning their attention towards the January transfer window, with a host of talent being linked with a move to Stamford Bridge in preparation of the second half of the 2023/24 campaign.
Mauricio Pochettino seems to finally be turning cogs to breathe some life back into the Blues, after a year of extremely underwhelming form and lack of structure and cohesion both inside the squad and behind the scenes.
After netting only 38 goals in as many games in the Premier League last season, the manager has cracked the code to get his side finally firing, with the Blues having already scored 17 goals this term after 11 fixtures played.
Despite improvements being noticeable, there’s a long way to go until Chelsea are back where they belong as one of the most successful clubs in England, with the winter window providing Pochettino with the chance to make alterations to his progressing squad.
Chelsea January transfer targets
In his column for CaughtOffside, renowned journalist Fabrizio Romano revealed Chelsea’s plans to bolster their strike force in the January window.
Romano mentioned two prolific goal scorers as potential targets, with Brentford talisman Ivan Toney and Napoli sharpshooter Victor Osimhen identified as the calibre of forward Pochettino could eye in the winter.
In a report last month, The Mirror claimed that the Bees had placed a £100m price tag on their forward’s head in the bid to block off interest, while Napoli’s Nigerian dynamo has a current market value of €80m (£70m).
While signing either player would resonate as a blockbuster signing at Stamford Bridge, they aren’t the only forwards said to be admired in west London.
According to 90min, Chelsea are one of the clubs that are eyeing Feyenoord sensation Santiago Gimenez, who is also said to be appreciated by Real Madrid, Spurs and Arsenal.
The report also claims that the Eredivisie outfit value the 22-year-old at €100m (£87m), stating that the club wouldn’t be prepared to let their talisman depart for a price lower than the league’s record transfer fee.
Santiago Gimenez’s career in numbers
Feyenoord struck gold when they opted to sign Gimenez from Mexican club Cruz Azul in the summer of 2022, as the forward showed exciting promise at his boyhood clubs after graduating from the academy.
Born in 2001 in Buenos Aires, the 22-year-old represents Mexico internationally, with 22 caps and four goals to his name so far for El Tri.
At Cruz Azul, the young forward netted 21 goals in 105 appearances, recording his highest league tally in 2022/23 prior to leaving the club, netting five in his opening five Liga MX games.
Santiago Gimenez's domestic league career scoring tally
Season
Club
Apps
Goals
2019/20
Cruz Azul
3
0
2020/21
Cruz Azul
15
4
2021/22
Cruz Azul
16
4
2022/23
Cruz Azul
5
5
2022/23
Feyenoord
32
15
2023/24
Feyenoord
11
13
Figures via Transfermarkt
Once dubbed a "machine" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the forward didn’t take long to impose himself in Europe, as he went on to score 23 goals in his debut season at Feyenoord, taking his domestic tally for the 2022/23 campaign to 28 representing both the Eredivisie side and his former club.
After finishing fourth in the Eredivisie scoring charts after his first term, Gimenez got a taste for goals, which explains his fine form this season, as he leads the pack in the league level with AZ Alkmaar gem Vangelis Pavlidis with 13 goals in 11 games.
Adding two Champions League goals to his 2023/24 collection, the Mexican has a total of 15 goals in 14 games this term, level with Premier League dynamo Erling Haaland (15 goals in 17 games).
It’s not just Haaland that Gimenez is matching in England, with his league total of 13 goals so far more than double Chelsea’s top scorer, Nicolas Jackson’s tally in the Premier League, reinforcing why the Blues are said to want to sign him.
Why Santiago Gimenez would be a good signing for Chelsea
While Jackson’s hattrick against Spurs last time out was greatly celebrated in west London, the Senegalese forward lacks conviction in front of goal, with his Premier League conversion rate reading just 15% this season.
The Mexican’s conversion rate is double that of Jackson’s in the Eredivisie, reinforcing just how much the 22-year-old could benefit Pochettino’s front line if the Blues were to attempt to sign him amid expected competition.
Despite their efforts in the transfer window, Chelsea have struggled to identify a reliable goalscorer over the years, with the last identifiable centre-forward to be named the club’s top scorer in the league being Tammy Abraham in 2019/20.
To emphasise the lack of a potent forward at the Bridge in recent years, you’d have to rewind to the 2016/17 campaign to revise the last time a Chelsea player hit 20 goals in the Premier League, as Diego Costa stepped up to take control at the top.
That season, the Blues won the league title thanks to their forward’s presence, with his 20 goals in the 2014/15 term also rewarding the west Londoners with the title to signify just how much difference a natural goalscorer can make to a side's success.
Costa is the only Chelsea striker to hit 20 league goals since Didier Drogba’s 29 in the 2009/10 campaign, and in Gimenez, Pochettino could uncover his answer to the unforgettable Spaniard.
How Santiago Gimenez compares to Diego Costa
Lauded as “unstoppable” by Jacek Kulig for his form at Feyenoord, the speculated Chelsea target could finally hand the Blues their first established centre-forward since Costa’s reign.
Though the 22-year-old has a long way to go before being compared to one of the Premier League greats, he stands in good stead to become one of the most notable goal-getters in Europe if his form continues.
Statistic
Santiago Gimenez (Eredivisie)
Diego Costa (Premier League)
Appearances
32
35
Goals
15
20
Scoring frequency
129 min
154 min
Conversion rate
17%
18%
Big chances missed
15
12
Shots per game
2.7
3.2
All figures via Sofascore
When comparing the statistics of Costa’s final season at Stamford Bridge to Gimenez’s numbers in his debut campaign at Feyenoord last term, it’s clear to see just how ruthless the Mexico international can be in front of goal.
The magnitude of the former Atletico Madrid star’s quality in the final third drove Chelsea to win titles and be a side feared by opposition defences, with his presence needing to be replicated to some degree to see the good times return to west London.
In the 22-year-old, Pochettino could unearth his next goalscoring jewel, in a move that could benefit the Blues’ hopes this campaign and beyond.
