This was the second consecutive season, Chelsea’s primary striker Nicolas Jackson failed to deliver consistently having scored just 13 goals across all competitions. On the other hand, Christopher Nkunku has also fallen short of expectations, never managing to establish himself as a starter. This has prompted the Blues to explore alternative options.
The Blues have already brought in Liam Delap as the new number nine of the club. But they aren’t taking any chances this time and are expected to further strengthen the position by adding another striker to their ranks before the upcoming season, especially with the Champions League in mind.
Although Chelsea were recently linked with Eintracht Frankfurt youngster Hugo Ekitike, the steep asking price of €100 million appears to have caused the Blues to back off for now. The club, however, seem to have already set their sights on a viable alternative.
CaughtOffside reported that Christian Falk informed them of the Blues’ interest in Nick Woltemade in his latest Fact Files column. He said:
"Chelsea FC have submitted enquiries to Nick Woltemade’s management team. There have been talks.
“The Londoners have been monitoring the striker for some time. Chelsea enquired about the contract until 2028 and were informed that there is no clause for an early transfer."
Chelsea shift focus to signing German international striker
The 23-year-old striker has had a solid season, scoring 17 goals and providing 3 assists in 33 games. With further development he could become an important player for Chelsea in the future.
However, the Blues aren’t alone in the pursuit of the youngster and will have to fend off interest from other clubs, which could push up the asking price. Atletico Madrid, who have an excellent record when it comes to identifying strikers, are also interested in Woltemade. Additionally, the lack of a clause allowing an early transfer makes the negotiation even more difficult.
That being said, the Blues have already made the mistake of waiting too long in the case of Ekitike, allowing other clubs to enter the race for his signature. They must ensure this doesn’t become another one of those situations.