Chelsea’s attackers have arguably been a little bit underwhelming so far in the Premier League this season. The exception to that is Cole Palmer, who has once again stood out with 14 goals and six assists in the top flight.
He has been well-supported by a few of the Blues’ attackers. Nicolas Jackson has played well, with nine goals and five assists, and Noni Madueke has ten goal involvements, with both players the only other Chelsea attackers to score more than five goals.
However, a couple of players have underperformed, including Joao Felix and Pedro Neto, who have only managed one goal each in the Premier League. Thus, it might not be a surprise that the Blues are targeting a late move for Brighton and Hove Albion striker Evan Ferguson.
Why Chelsea want Ferguson
A report on Friday confirmed that the Blues have joined the race to sign Ferguson before Monday’s deadline. At this stage, it is not clear whether or not they want to do a loan deal or make a permanent move for the Irishman. However, he is valued at £40m by the Seagulls.
It has been a really tough season in 2024/25 for the 20-year-old. He has played 15 times across all competitions but has only found the back of the net once. That strike came at home in a 2-2 draw against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
However, he has shown great promise at first-team level for the South Coast outfit. The striker has scored 17 times and grabbed five assists in 80 games for the club, although has only played 3542 minutes in that time.
So, with that in mind, the Blues would certainly be adding someone who has a natural eye for goal. Although he has struggled this season, it is important to remember Ferguson is just 20 years of age and has years to go in his development as a professional.
It remains to be seen if the Blues will sign Ferguson, but for £40m they could certainly do worse. In fact, one of their current players is worth far more than the striker, who cannot get into the side this season under Enzo Maresca.
The player worth more than Ferguson
The Chelsea star worth more than the Brighton forward is Christopher Nkunku. Things have not really worked out for the French forward at Stamford Bridge since his £52m move from RB Leipzig in 2023.
His record, on the face of things, is not too bad. The former PSG star has played 43 times in that famous Blue shirt, scoring 16 times and registering four assists.
However, seven of those goals have come in the Conference League, including two goals and an assist in the 8-0 win over FC Noah this season.
Nkunku has been disappointing in the Premier League in 2024/25, with five goals and one assist in 30 appearances. With that being said, he is competing against Palmer and Jackson for a spot in the side, which is far from easy given their form.
|
Nkunku stats by Premier Leaguse season |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Stat |
2023/24 |
2024/25 |
Total |
|
Games |
19 |
11 |
30 |
|
Minutes |
419 |
439 |
858 |
|
Goals |
2 |
3 |
5 |
|
Assists |
1 |
0 |
1 |
|
Stats from Transfermarkt |
|||
The Frenchman, once described as “ridiculous” by Statman Dave during his time at Leipzig, was linked with a move back to Germany earlier in the transfer window. He had agreed on personal terms with Bayern Munich, as reported by Florian Plettenberg on the 18th of January.
ESPN reported that the Blues would want at least £50m for Nkunku if he were to leave, and there are certainly positives for his departure. Not only does it work better for him, given he can play regular football elsewhere, but it means Chelsea can also reinvest the money into a deal for Ferguson, which is better suited to their squad.
For all parties, it seems worth Nkunku leaving Stamford Bridge. He is worth £10m more than Brighton’s asking price for the Ireland striker, and that certainly benefits the Blues given they can add a more suitable profile to their squad.
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