Chelsea will look to spend big on a striker this summer to help solve their goalscoring woes that have dogged them this season, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.
What's the latest Chelsea transfer news involving striker targets?
As per Football Insider, Chelsea are 'keen' on Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martinez and have assessed the possibility of bringing the Argentina international to Stamford Bridge.
Incoming boss Mauricio Pochettino is said to have spoken with the Blues in negotiations about signing Martinez, who will be available for around £70 million in the off-season.
talkSPORT report that Napoli forward Victor Osimhen is also a target for Chelsea and he is believed to be at the 'head of their summer shopping list.
ESPN understand that Juventus frontman Dusan Vlahovic is also someone being considered by Chelsea and state that the Premier League giants have made an offer worth €80 million (£69.4 million) to try and lure the Serbia international to England.
Harry Kane's current employers Tottenham Hotspur are also 'anticipating' that Chelsea will be part of the race to sign their talisman amid uncertainty over his future in N17, according to 90min.
Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Jacobs has backed Chelsea to throw some significant cash around to land a new striker this summer.
Jacobs told FFC: "The one thing that of Vlahovic, Osimhen and Martinez have got in common is that they're all capable of getting you 20-plus goals a season. If they settle and succeed in the Premier League, then the likelihood is that they would do that with regularity. That's what Chelsea ultimately are looking for as an urgent priority. At the time of recording, which is before the game against Manchester United this evening, they've scored 36 Premier League goals, which is a goal a game and last season, they scored 76. There's 40 goals difference at the moment between Chelsea last season and Chelsea this season. What they need is to be able to rely upon one name to add, at worst, 20 goals, because that 20 goals might make all the difference from being in mid-table mediocrity to being back in the Champions League. If that's worth paying a bit extra for as long as Chelsea can balance the books and get a deal done, I would expect them to do that because they know how important that goal scorer has become."
Do Chelsea have anyone in-house who could help to solve their striking issue?
One topic of conversation that has hit the headlines in recent times is the notion of loanee Romelu Lukaku potentially returning to Stamford Bridge next term from Inter Milan and playing a part in 2023/24, with The Telegraph claiming that Pochettino would be 'open' to re-integrating the Belgium star if he was keen to do so.
Nevertheless, Lukaku looks to have signalled his intention to stay at San Siro next season, telling Het Laatste Nieuws via The Daily Express: "I was good at Chelsea last season. But I knew then that if it didn’t work out at Chelsea, I still had Inter. When I signed again, I knew: I belong here. I had that too at Anderlecht. I take this club seriously. I want to do my best. The people here see that. Being encouraged here is the best thing there is."
German outlet SPORT BILD also report that RB Leipzig attacker Christopher Nkunku is on his way to west London, which may offer some hope to Chelsea fans given that he has bagged 20 goals and seven assists in 34 appearances in 2022/23, as per Transfermarkt.
The Blues have a very busy window ahead and it wouldn't be a surprise to see even more high-profile names linked to the club as it draws ever closer.
