Despite significant expenditures in recent transfer windows, the Blues find themselves lacking offensive prowess, with Nicolas Jackson participating in the Africa Cup of Nations, Christopher Nkunku sidelined due to a hip injury, and Armando Broja potentially moving to Premier League rivals like Aston Villa, West Ham, Fulham, and Wolves.
The ongoing transfer window has seen various strikers linked to Chelsea; however, executing an expensive deal seems improbable without additional player sales to adhere to Premier League financial regulations.
Notable strikers such as Ivan Toney from Brentford and Victor Osimhen from Napoli appear unreachable until the summer, with Gyokeres also seemingly out of reach at the moment.
Gyokeres, the former Coventry forward who moved to Portugal’s Primeira Liga with Sporting last summer in a deal estimated at £20 million, is a prominent name associated with Chelsea.
Other players in consideration include RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko, Brighton’s Evan Ferguson, Stuttgart’s Serhou Guirassy, Feyenoord’s Santiago Gimenez, and Stuttgart’s Evan Ferguson.
In just 25 games for Sporting across all competitions, Gyokeres has impressed with 22 goals and 10 assists, sparking talks of a potential swift transfer.
Sporting’s manager, Ruben Amorim, revealed that Chelsea’s €85 million (£72.8 million) offer for the Swedish international falls short of Sporting’s valuation.
The Lisbon giants are demanding a substantial €100 million (£85.7 million) for their star striker.
Addressing the rumored offer, Amorim stated, “I don’t know, I didn’t even ask [director of football Hugo] Viana. Obviously, I was informed of the news.
As soon as they said it was €85m, I thought: ‘that’s not enough.’ It’s only €100m. I’m not worried.”
Sporting Lisbon remains resolute in their valuation of Gyokeres, emphasizing the significant sum they expect for the striker’s transfer.
As Chelsea navigates the complexities of the transfer market, the pursuit of offensive reinforcements intensifies.
The challenges presented by injuries and potential departures underscore the need for a strategic approach in securing a striker of Gyokeres’ caliber.
The ongoing negotiations and the contrasting valuations between Chelsea and Sporting Lisbon add an intriguing layer to the evolving transfer saga.
