Much of the recent changes in Chelsea’s attacking lineup may be attributed to the investments made by owner Todd Boehly after his purchase in 2022. Stamford Bridge now boasts an abundance of elite talent thanks to these monies, providing manager Enzo Maresca with the strength he needs for his first season in West London.
Maresca had choices like Cole Palmer and Noni Madueke before the summer transfer window, but he wanted to improve his assault even more. As the transfer window ended, Chelsea signed Portuguese international Pedro Neto from Wolverhampton Wanderers for a fee of £54 million and signed Jadon Sancho on loan from Manchester United with a buyout option. The talent that had already been brought in during the Boehly era was enhanced by these newcomers.
But Chelsea lost out on winger Mohammed Kudus in their pursuit of a striker. During the same transfer window, ESPN reported that Mauricio Pochettino’s team had held conversations with the Ajax star. However, the Ghanaian eventually signed a contract to play for West Ham United for approximately £38 million. Since then, Kudus has distinguished himself at the London Stadium, contributing 21 goals in 50 games, an accomplishment that Liverpool noticed. His previous coach, Jeremy Seethal, called him a “£100m player,” implying Chelsea might have erred in not signing him. However, no formal offer was made.
Nicolas Jackson, a striker from Villarreal, was acquired by Chelsea in the summer of 2023 for about £32 million. After netting twelve goals, there were great hopes for the Senegalese international in 16 La Liga appearances, appearing to have resolved Chelsea’s enduring center-forward problem. Jackson has a lot of potential, but he missed 24 good opportunities in the Premier League last season, which is third most in the division. As a result, the team is still looking for a new number nine.
Despite Jackson’s two goals and one assist in his first four games of the new season, supporters are not persuaded. If Chelsea had given Kudus more importance than Jackson, the outcome could have been different. Now playing well for West Ham, Kudus might have been the explosive striker Chelsea needed, adding quickness, direct dribbling, and adaptability to increase Maresca’s offensive possibilities.
West Ham ultimately emerged victorious from Chelsea’s defeat, allowing Blues fans to speculate as to what may have happened if they had acquired Kudus rather than Jackson.
