Chelsea's scouting deserves a ton of credit. Yes, they have had their hits and misses but all things considered, they have been successful in putting together a solid squad of youngsters over the past three seasons. The Club World Cup win is proof of that. Now, the focus is on competing for the Premier League and Champions League on a consistent basis.
In order to do that, Chelsea will need a top striker. Joao Pedro has been immensely impressive since coming in. He scored three goals in his two starts, two against Fluminense and one against PSG, to help the Blues to Club World Cup glory.
But Pedro is being viewed as a player who will feature in multiple positions across the forward line. Also, with Nicolas Jackson being heavily linked with a move away, Chelsea might do with another out-and-out striker this summer.
Unfortunately, it looks like a move for Hugo Ektike is no longer a possibility. That is because he is on his way to Premier League rivals Liverpool.
'Here we go' - Fabrizio Romano confirms bad news for Chelsea
As reported by Fabrizio Romano, Ekitike to Liverpool is 'here we go'. The deal is in place for a fee over €90m for the French striker to join from Eintracht Frankfurt, potentially reaching €95m. It is a six-year contract, valid until June 2031. The player only wanted an Anfield move.
Ekitike has been on the radar of Chelsea going back to his time at Reims. Back then, PSG had won the race for his signature. This time around, the Blues have lost out to Liverpool.
Then again, there is no guarantee that Ekitike will be a success in the Premier League. Many Bundesliga standouts have struggled in the Premier League in recent times. It is not the easiest adjustment to make and there are a lot of aspects to the Frenchman's game that raise questions about his ability to thrive in the physical nature of English football.