Chelsea are reportedly looking to steal a march on Real Madrid in the race to sign RB Leipzig’s striking sensation Benjamin Sesko in the upcoming January transfer window.
According to a report from Defensa Central, Chelsea have drawn up a two-man striker shortlist as they look to bring a top-class goal-scorer to Stamford Bridge, and it features Napoli star Victor Osimhen as well as RB Leipzig ace Benjamin Sesko, both of whom are also targets for Spanish giants Real Madrid.
The Blues signed no fewer than 12 first-team players this summer, continuing their record-breaking spending spree, but Chelsea are yet to see the results on the pitch as Mauricio Pochettino’s side have tumbled down to 14th heading into this weekend’s action.
Already, the Blues have lost three times this term, scoring only five goals. And, as Pochettino looks for answers, he has recently admitted that he expects himself to be more involved in the club’s transfer business in the upcoming transfer windows and is already mapping out plans for January reinforcements.
Finding a new striker is thought to be among Chelsea’s top priorities in the January transfer window, with the Blues willing to pay up to €100 million to get their new No. 9.
They currently only have two natural central strikers in the first-team squad: academy graduate Armando Broja, who is just returning from a serious ACL injury, and misfiring summer signing Nicolas Jackson, who has managed just one Premier League goal so far.
And questions are already arising over whether the 22-year-old has enough experience to lead the Chelsea attack going forward. There have been reports stating Chelsea might try to snare Brentford’s Ivan Toney or Napoli’s Osimhen as a replacement.
RB Leipzig’s rising star, Sesko, has also emerged as a concrete target for Chelsea. It makes sense that Sesko has appeared on Chelsea’s radar, as he has enjoyed a great start to the season, with five goals from 256 minutes of football action across seven competitive outings.
He was also on fire during the recent international break as he got on the scoresheet during Slovenia’s 4-2 win against Northern Ireland on Thursday, sending a low drive into the far corner after a nice turn in the box.
Prior to his £20.6 million move to Leipzig, the 20-year-old Slovenia international made a name for himself with Austrian champions Red Bull Salzburg during a successful four-year spell, notching 16 goals in 30 top-flight games during his final season with the club and apparently attracting interest from La Liga juggernauts Real Madrid, among other clubs.
Los Merengues are a little short of firepower up front following the departures of Marco Asensio and star striker Karim Benzema, with stop-gap veteran Joselu the only natural number nine in their squad currently. Carlo Ancelotti has to rely on midfield sensation Jude Bellingham to carry the baggage of scoring crucial goals for Los Blancos.
They will be looking to make a major investment in a young forward, and Sesko is one name that has been on their radar for some time now. Interestingly, the youngster has drawn stylistic comparisons with Manchester City’s Erling Haaland, who is regarded as the world’s best striker right now and has been linked with a future move to the Bernabeu several times in the past.
