It would be fair to say that Chelsea are outperforming the collective expectations regarding how their first season under Enzo Maresca would go.
The Italian coach may continually downplay claims that the Blues are firmly in the Premier League title race, but given that the west London side are second in the standings, two points off Liverpool and four in front of Arsenal, such noise carries weight.
Chelsea have spent freely under Todd Boehly and co, but then other sides across the Premier League have splurged over recent years, spending without the accuracy of the west Londoners.
It’s taken a while, but it’s all coming together, and now Maresca seems to want a top-class centre-forward to complete his dynamic squad, even with the existing options.
Chelsea eyeing new striker
Nicolas Jackson has hit a new level at Stamford Bridge this season, looking every bit the rock-and-roll top-flight superstar at number nine, albeit with his flaws.
Matches (starts)
35 (31)
15 (15)
Goals
14
9
Assists
5
3
Touches*
32.6
27.4
Shots (on target)*
2.3 (1.2)
2.7 (1.5)
Big chances missed
24
8
Pass completion
78%
73%
Key passes
1.1
0.9
Dribbles*
1.5
0.8
Tackles + interceptions*
0.7
0.8
Total duels (won)*
4.3 (42%)
2.9 (37%)
He’s curiously regressed in several areas, but then the one that matters, his clinical edge, denotes a remarkable level-up in goalscoring and maturity as a striker.
Chelsea’s resurgence is steeped in the success of the expansive squad, and if Maresca were to welcome a new forward to his team, it would be wise for them to be a regular at number nine.
As per TEAMtalk, Chelsea may have identified their man. The report goes that Chelsea have made contacts with Benjamin Sesko ahead of a potential 2025 move.
With RB Leipzig already knocked out of the Champions League after a torrid group phase, Sesko might be looking for a new platform to take his exciting career to the next stage.
The 21-year-old Sesko might have rejected English clubs such as Chelsea in the summer, opting to sharpen his tools in Germany further, but his sights have always been set on a future move to the Premier League.
Chelsea would only be too happy to accommodate. He wouldn’t come cheap, with Arsenal reported to have been quoted upward of £50m for his sale.
What Benjamin Sesko would bring to Chelsea
Described as a “monster” by analyst Ben Mattinson, Sesko was a hot prospect last season and it’s no surprise that he had earned interest from Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United, but then there’s little question that he’s still got plenty of work to do before hitting his apex.
Standing at 6 foot 4, the Slovakian starlet is rangy and powerful, with two-footedness, aerial dominance and technical distinction even leading to comparisons to Manchester City’s Erling Haaland.
One of Sesko’s greatest strengths is his ability to move with the times and adapt to the system that he is situated within. Even though he’s still young, Sesko has bagged consistently across his four seasons in top-flight football, as you can see via the table below.
24/25
RB Leipzig
22 (20)
10
3
23/24
RB Leipzig
42 (22)
18
2
22/23
RB Salzburg
41 (29)
18
4
21/22
RB Salzburg
37 (14)
11
7
As per FBref, Sesko ranks among the top 17% of forwards across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for goals scored (0.60) per 90, with journalist Antonio Mango even hailing him as a “menace of a striker.”
While he would be expected to jockey with Jackson for a regular starting berth at Chelsea, Sesko would bring a differing skillset that could work nicely in conjunction with the Senegalese, for he has won 62% of his aerial duels in the Bundesliga this term, as per Sofascore, and could shape into one of the continent’s finest over the coming years.
There’s no question that he would instantaneously leapfrog the up-and-coming Marc Guiu, who bagged an emphatic hat-trick for the Londoners this week but still has several years of development ahead of him.
Chelsea are storming through the Conference League group stage and Maresca has been able to afford the bulk of his first-team rest each fixture, such is the paltry quality of the lowest-runged continental competition.
But even so, it’s turning out to be a hothouse for Chelsea’s youngsters and fringe players, who can play regularly and hone their craft. Guiu, 18, is certainly benefitting, having joined from Barcelona for a £5m fee in the summer.
Would Sesko’s potential arrival be to the Spaniard’s detriment? It’s unclear, especially with the Stamford Bridge side pushing to be involved in a more distinguished realm of European football next term. A loan move next season or thereafter could be on the cards and might be a fundamental stage of his development at that.
Chelsea have proven themselves to be cutthroat, prioritising the greatness of the whole, and that’s hardly a bad thing, for the Blues are chomping on the fruits of their ambition over the past few dysfunctional years, finally breaking out into the sunlight and turning toward the loftiest prizes.
Guiu has only played once in the Premier League this season, coming off the bench during the opening-day defeat by Manchester City. Sesko, meanwhile, has contributed seven goals and assists in 14 Bundesliga appearances in 24/25. The difference level is stark.
The teenager’s time will come, but Chelsea need an elite-level player to propel Maresca’s team further into the ascendency, and Sesko is the perfect man to rival and potentially even take the lead from Jackson.
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