Serhou Guirassy to Chelsea: Analysing the potential transfer

Chelsea's pursuit of a striker continues as they scour the transfer market, hunting for the ideal option. After Benjamin Šeško decided to stay at RB Leipzig, the West London club immediately directed their attention to Aston Villa forward Jhon Durán. However, an agreement has not yet been materialized, likely due to Villa's insistence on a high price tag and their demand to include a Chelsea player in the deal.

Chelsea decided to seek alternatives and have turned their focus to in-form Stuttgart striker Serhou Guirassy, as reported by German media outlet BILD. The Pride of London will analyze why the Blues deem the Guinean sharpshooter their ideal striker.

Fitting the Tactical Profile

We will not dwell too long on Guirassy's output last season, as it is well-known that the Stuttgart striker tallied an impressive 28 league goals. However, it is still worth noting that his figure was the second-best in Europe's top five leagues - only behind Harry Kane (36) and ahead of Erling Haaland (27) and Kylian Mbappe (27).

But if the sole critical requirement of Chelsea for their striker is scoring the most goals, they would have been after Guirassy much earlier. Furthermore, the two strikers they showed interest in - Šeško and, especially, Durán - were unproven marksmen for their respective clubs.

Instead, the Blues are more attentive to the player's ability to supply the team with different tactical upsides. Specifically, provide benefits that their current No.15, Nicolas Jackson, cannot contribute.

Therefore, Chelsea plans to acquire a more physical striker who can be an aerial threat and a clinical finisher. Nevertheless, it would still be much appreciated if they could thrive in tight spaces, protect the ball with back-to-goal, and adeptly progress possession.

The emphasis still relies on the striker supplying the team with the first two outlined requirements since Jackson has proved to possess the rest. However, Guirassy stands out because he can execute the qualities Jackson does not have while also delivering a satisfactory level of the remaining attributes.

His FBref player profile reflects the comments above as his performance in three separate areas - shooting, possession, and passing - showcases his all-around game.

Guirassy ranks among the best for his shooting metrics - attempting a high volume of shots with a good on-target rate, overperforming xG significantly, and recording a ridiculous number of goals.

Jackson struggled last season in front of goal, while Guirassy proved to be an elite marksman - indicating a direct upgrade and a reliable source of goals.

Despite his imposing stature at 6 foot 1½, Guirassy is deceivingly tidy in possession. The Stuttgart striker has neat footwork - allowing him to operate in tight spaces. That is why Sebastian Hoeneß utilized him for ball progression.

Although he is not a first-rate ball progressor, he can get the job done. Furthermore, his Shot-Creating Actions (SCA) from dribbles illustrate that when Guirassy does beat a defender, he can generate dangerous goal-scoring opportunities.

Also, it is important to notice his aerial duel success rate - an area Jackson falls short in. Guirassy's addition could give Enzo Maresca an aerial threat to benefit from crosses and set-piece situations.

With the ball, Guirassy is a creative outlet. His performance in metrics like passes into the final third, key passes, SCA from live passes, and expected assisted goals (xAG) showcases the same. The versatility to produce chances through his dribbling and passing could be vital for Maresca to unlock robust low-blocks.

Value For Money

The Guinean forward is in fiery form after enjoying a successful 2023/24 campaign. His well-polished all-round game can benefit Maresca from a tactical perspective, as he provides the upsides Jackson lacks without forcing the manager to drastically alter the play style since Guirassy is not too dissimilar from the Senegalese striker.

His experience can also be valuable for a team void of Thiago Silva. Tosin Adarabioyo fills up some of that gap but a wise and composed head at the top of the field can also boost Chelsea.

In a highly inflated transfer market, it is rare to discover an undervalued player. However, the reported €17.5 million release clause of Guirassy seems a diamond in the rough. Even for Chelsea, who have made their stance clear on signing older players, it looks like an opportunity they should not pass by.

But with Borussia Dortmund tirelessly working to secure a deal, Chelsea must act fast. It is not too late.