Chelsea Football Club have become known in the past for their ability to employ numerous top-level centre-forwards who have supplied the goods in front of goal.
Didier Drogba, Diego Costa, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Nicolas Anelka are just a handful of players who captured the hearts of the supporters during their respective periods at Stamford Bridge.
Spaniard Costa was arguably the last striker who dominated during his time in West London, scoring 59 times in his 120 appearances for the Londoners during his three-year spell in the Premier League.
His all-round ability to score goals, whilst being able to pin a centre-back providing a focal point, or even play off the shoulder made him a real handful – playing a crucial in the club’s last league triumph back in 2016/17.
In 2024, Nicolas Jackson is the man tasked with leading the line for the Blues under new boss Enzo Maresca, scoring 16 goals in his last 39 league appearances after joining from Villarreal last summer.
Whilst the fanbase are still crying out for an upgrade on the Senegal international, he’s proven to be a solid talisman, undoubtedly better than one player who disappointed during his second spell at the Bridge.
Romelu Lukaku’s time at Chelsea
Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku first joined the Blues way back in 2011/12 from Anderlecht, arriving at the club as one for the future.
He enjoyed multiple successful spells at West Brom and Everton, before departing Chelsea in a £28m deal in the summer of 2014 – ending his three-year stay in the capital.
However, despite seeming a good fee at the time, it would be a deal the club would regret, re-signing the striker seven years later for a reported £97.5m as the club looked to build on their Champions League winning campaign the season prior under Thomas Tuchel.
Despite registering 15 goals in his first campaign back at Stamford Bridge, he would leave on loan to rejoin Inter Milan on loan after a fallout with the Chelsea boss.
His torrid second spell with the Blues would end this summer, joining Napoli in a £30m deal – reuniting him with former boss Antonio Conte, resulting in the club losing a staggering £67.5m in just a three-year period.
The transfer was a disaster all round, with his lack of goals coupled with his off-field antics tarnishing his time at the club despite the excitement around his return in 2021.
Lukaku’s big-money transfer would be made even more frustrating, especially considering the club were targeting another European talent before making the move for the Belgian that summer.
The man who Chelsea wanted alongside Lukaku
Chelsea’s hunt for a new striker in 2021 saw them land Lukaku, but they could’ve landed another top-level talent for around the same fee during the same transfer window.
A report from The Athletic states that the Blues were also interested in signing Erling Haaland from Borussia Dortmund, with the Bundesliga side demanding £100m for his services that summer.
The Norwegian would eventually move to Manchester City the following summer for a reported £51m due to a release clause in his deal with the German side.
The 24-year-old, who’s now valued at £152m as per Transfermarkt, has taken his career to the next level after his Premier League move, scoring 99 times in 103 appearances for Pep Guardiola’s side, breaking the record for the most goals in a 38-game league season back in 2022/23.
Erling Haaland
£152m
Phil Foden
£126m
Bukayo Saka
£118m
Rodri
£110m
Declan Rice
£102m
He helped propel the club to their first-ever Champions League title in the same season, winning the treble in a truly remarkable campaign for City.
Haaland’s incredible goal record would have massively improved the Blues squad and aided their attempts to secure a first league title in eight years – but instead, they’re left looking down the barrel of their woeful investment in Lukaku.
Undoubtedly, the club must wish that they could turn back time and secure a deal for the prolific goalscorer, but now they have to sit back and watch the machine constantly find the back of the net for Guardiola’s side as they look to win a fifth league title in six years.
Chelsea flop sold in 2020 is now 'on par with Haaland' & outscoring Jackson
He fell by the wayside at Stamford Bridge…
1 ByAngus Sinclair Sep 17, 2024