Chelsea chasing their own Haaland who Mbappe dubbed a “very good striker”

Chelsea have been one of the form sides in front of goal so far in the 2024/25 Premier League season. According to Sofascore, Enzo Maresca’s side have scored 38 times in the top flight, which just two sides have bettered. They are Liverpool with 45 and Tottenham Hotspur with 41.

Cole Palmer, who has 12 goals to his name, and Nicolas Jackson, who has scored nine times in the top flight, have shouldered much of the goalscoring burden. Certainly, the Senegalese centre-forward has been the only striker who has scored more than two goals in the league for Chelsea.

They are reportedly looking to add another striker to their squad to supplement those goals.

Chelsea target new striker

The player in question here is Brighton and Hove Albion starlet, Evan Ferguson. The Irishman has struggled to find his best form over the past two seasons, with injuries impacting his game time. However, he is still a player with high potential.

With that in mind, it might not be a surprise that Chelsea are looking at signing him in January to add to their goal threat. According to a report from Graeme Bailey, the Blues are one of the sides who are ‘keeping tabs on Ferguson’s situation’ as the winter window gets underway.

However, they will face fierce competition from other Premier League sides. Arsenal, Tottenham, Newcastle United and Fulham are also interested, and West Ham United have reportedly made contact.

The Seagulls are believed to be open to a loan deal which could include an option or obligation to buy the striker at the end of his temporary move.

Why Ferguson would be a good signing

Since bursting onto the scene in the 2022/23 season, it has not been an easy ride for 20-year-old Ferguson. He missed 17 games for club and country last term, a total of 164 days with two separate injuries.

With that being said, his talent is clear to see. In 79 appearances for Brighton so far, he has 17 goals and five assists, coming in 3525 minutes, the equivalent of just 39.1 90 minute games. That averages out to a goal contrition every other 90 minutes, a strong record.

Indeed, his breakout campaign in 2022/23 was impressive. He played 25 times for the Seagull’s first team, scoring ten goals and grabbing four assists. That includes six strikes in 19 Premier League games.

Indeed, he was so good that season that comparisons can be made between the Irishman and one of the best strikers in the Premier League, Erling Haaland. The Norwegian himself was on fire in his debut season in England, scoring 36 goals in just 35 games.

The expectations were different for both going into the 2022/23 campaign. No one really thought Ferguson would become the clinical finisher he did, yet he exploded out of nowhere.

Haaland had all the expectations on him, as the big-money signing with a reputation for scoring goals week in, week out.

The pair can be compared on FBref for their extraordinary campaigns in their first full season of the Premier League.

For example, the Brighton striker had a non-penalty expected goals tally of 0.5npxG per 90 minutes and averaged 1.61 shots on target per game. Haaland is not too far ahead, with 0.75npxG and 1.72 shots on target each game.

Ferguson is clearly a player rated by his fellow peers. Kylian Mbappe has previously noted his talent, describing him as a “very good striker” before Ireland and France played each other back in 2023. That is high praise indeed from one of the world’s leading attackers.

This could be a smart signing for the Blues on a loan deal. Ferguson could help to supplement the goals scored by Jackson and Palmer, whilst also not having the pressure of being a first-choice striker himself. His talent is there, and perhaps it can be unearthed once more at Stamford Bridge.