Start, Bench, Sell: The Future for Chelsea’s Strikers As Danny Welbeck Signs Deal

Chelsea’s transfer strategy of hoarding players has, rather unsurprisingly, left them with an alarmingly bloated roster. That’s particularly true in the center forward department.

The Blues now have eight strikers in their squad, as Chelsea confirmed the signing of 35-year-old Brighton & Hove Albion forward Danny Welbeck on Saturday, and that’s a number even before considering some highly-rated academy prospects.

Unfortunately for the strikers currently employed by the west Londoners, their hopes of regular first-team minutes next season have just taken a sizeable hit. Chelsea aren’t in European competition, either, further restricting opportunities for peripheral figures.

With that in mind, here’s what Chelsea must do with their growing band of strikers before the transfer window shuts.

João Pedro—Start

This is a no-brainer. One of the few success stories of Chelsea’s befuddled transfer strategy under BlueCo, João Pedro has been sensational since signing for the club last summer.

The Brazilian kickstarted his Chelsea career with three goals at the Club World Cup and proceeded to score 20 times across all competitions in his debut term. A nine-minute hat trick in his first match under Xabi Alonso—admittedly against Australian side Western Sydney Wanderers—was a reminder of his class.

Pedro, who is a reported target for Barcelona, is going absolutely nowhere.

Nicolas Jackson—Bench

Nicolas Jackson came under significant criticism for his profligacy and inconsistent end product during his first two campaigns with Chelsea. Yet, the Senegal striker often wreaked havoc with his speed and physicality and still managed 30 goal involvements before last season’s loan to Bayern Munich.

The 25-year-old was never going to dethrone Harry Kane in Bavaria, but still proved a handy addition with 11 goals and three assists as Bayern achieved a domestic treble. The Germans might have considered signing him permanently had his buyout clause ($74 million) not been so high.

Alonso still needs to assess Jackson in preseason, but there’s no reason he can’t fulfill a role as a disruptor and impact substitute for Chelsea alongside Welbeck.

Emmanuel Emegha—Loan

The 6'5" Emmanuel Emegha only teamed up with Chelsea this summer from sister club Strasbourg, where he’d blossomed over three fruitful years. The 25-year-old, who is blessed with tremendous height and speed, followed his debut nine-goal campaign in France with a 14-goal season. In just 18 appearances last term, he found the net eight times.

The Dutchman has a bright future, but Stamford Bridge isn’t the right destination for him to realize his potential right now. A loan move away, preferably to another Premier League club, is the best thing for his development.

Emegha should flourish in English football given his athleticism, frame and clinical edge. He will surely have a long list of suitors this summer.

Marc Guiu—Loan

Marc Guiu appeared set to secure the loan move he so desperately needed last season. Sunderland snapped him up on a temporary basis, but after just three appearances and a goal, he found himself back at Chelsea.

Jackson’s uncertain future and an injury to Liam Delap saw the Spaniard recalled as cover in the No. 9 position, but he ended up making just 13 appearances across the season—delivering four goal involvements.

The 20-year-old Spaniard remains an intriguing prospect with immense potential, but he’s never going to develop properly at Stamford Bridge. A loan move elsewhere would serve him well.

Dastan Satpaev—Loan

Dastan Satpaev is another wonderkid hoovered up by the Chelsea vacuum. Just 17 years old, he arrived this summer following an impressive spell with Kazakhstani side Kairat Almaty in his homeland, which yielded 26 goals across two seasons.

An encouraging start with Chelsea has offered hope for the future, with Satpaev producing a clinical finish in the 6–4 friendly win over Western Sydney Wanderers. Alonso will have taken notice.

However, there’s little doubt a loan will be sanctioned for next season, especially with competition so fierce up top.

Liam Delap—Sell

Few Chelsea signings have backfired quite as spectacularly as Liam Delap. Snapped up for $40.6 million last summer following a 12-goal season with relegated Ipswich Town, the Englishman proceeded to endure a dire debut term at Stamford Bridge.

Simply put, Delap isn’t a Chelsea-standard player, something regularly evidenced during the hot-headed striker’s maiden season. Just three goals in 47 appearances tells the full story, with Delap seemingly more invested in picking fights than finding the net.

Chelsea must cut their losses with Delap while he retains some value.

David Datro Fofana—Sell

One could be forgiven for forgetting that David Datro Fofana plays for Chelsea. After all, he hasn’t donned their jersey since 2023, and he’s been loaned to five different clubs over the past three campaigns. Of those, only a brief stint in Türkiye could be considered successful.

With Chelsea handing out mammoth contracts to the youngsters they sign, Fofana, who joined in January 2023 from Molde, won’t be out of contract until 2029.

No more loans. Chelsea must sell him permanently.

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