The centre-forward position at Chelsea has been filled by many quality players recently, but none of them have quite set Stamford Bridge alight.
Nicolas Jackson had a relatively successful debut campaign, scoring 14 Premier League goals, but he’s not quite the Erling Haaland-type striker that Chelsea needs.
Unsurprisingly, the Norwegian ace won his second Premier League Golden Boot last season, scoring 27 goals, which proves he’s the definition of a goal-scoring monster.
However, with Chelsea in the market for a new forward, Todd Boehly will without doubt be looking to find his own Haaland, and he could have just found him.
Chelsea’s search for a new number nine
According to a report from journalists Simon Phillips and Ben Jacobs, Chelsea are confident that they can sign Benjamin Sesko this summer with their interest now described as 'very serious'.
It’s said that Sesko is the 'preferred' number nine target for the Blues, becoming one of the 'top priorities for that position.'
The Slovenian forward is set to be at the centre of a transfer battle between a host of English clubs, such as Arsenal.
It’s been reported that Chelsea are keen on signing the youngster due to the fact that he’d cost less than the likes of Victor Osimhen, for example.
How Sesko compares to Haaland
Since bursting onto the scene with 29 goals and 11 assists in 79 matches for RB Salzburg, Sesko has been regarded as one of the biggest prospects in Europe.
Last season, he joined RB Leipzig, and the fact that plenty of European giants are now chasing him proves how impressive he’s been.
The 21-year-old’s record in the Bundesliga last season was simply incredible, boasting a return of 14 goals and two assists in just 17 starts.
His pathway to England could follow the exact same steps as that of Haaland, who tore up the German top flight for Borussia Dortmund before moving to Manchester City, but what else makes him the “Slovenian Erling Haaland,” as scout Jacek Kulig labelled him?
Starts
29
17
Goals
27
14
xG
29.32
7.66
Big chances missed
34
8
Shots (per game)
3.9
1.5
Assists
5
2
Touches (per game)
22.5
19.1
Passes completed (per game)
9.5
6.9
Firstly, the biggest similarity between the two young forwards is that they’re the definition of goal-scorers.
Their only aim is to put the ball in the back of the net, as shown by their fewer touches and creative stats, and they’re at their best in the penalty area.
Furthermore, the duo are incredible athletes who possess impressive speed, which is rather unusual considering Sesko stands at 6 foot 5 and Haaland at 6 foot 4.
Yet the biggest difference between the two is clearly how clinical Sesko is in front of goal, as shown by the xG stats, which highlight that the Leipzig ace can truly score from absolutely anywhere.
For context, Chelsea’s current first-choice striker, Jackson, is the complete opposite, underperforming his xG by 4.64 and missing 24 big chances.
With the creativity of Cole Palmer and the possession-based approach of Enzo Maresca, Sesko would be an absolute "monster", as dubbed by data analyst Ben Mattinson, due to the sheer number of chances he’d get.
The new Chelsea boss also proved that he ensures his centre forward gets opportunities to score last season at Leicester City, with Jamie Vardy netting 18 in the league.
Therefore, it’s absolutely clear that Chelsea must do all they can to sign Sesko, especially before a Premier League rival secures him first.
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