The striker position is regarded by many as the hardest to get right when scouting and acquiring a new one. After all, the aim of football is to score more goals than the opposition, and therefore, a prolific attacker massively helps the cause.
Chelse, have had this issue for many years, having a "number nine curse" brandished upon them, after unsuccessful spells from the likes of Alvaro Morata, Romelu Lukaku, Gonzalo Higuain, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Radamel Falcao, and many more.
One of those names mentioned is currently still at the club, as Chelsea are looking for solutions regarding Lukaku who spent last season on loan with Roma, scoring 21 goals in 47 appearances in all competitions.
Chelsea's hunt for a striker
According to reports from Sky Sports Italia, Chelsea are discussing a deal to exchange Romelu Lukaku for Napoli striker, Victor Osimhen, after negotiations were given the green light by Enzo Maresca. This would be a Lukaku plus cash deal, to cover the remaining balance of Osimhen's hefty £111m value.
Although a loan with an option to buy has been reported previously, before being dismissed as not an option, the report now states Chelsea are open to making a permanent move for the 25-year-old talisman.
Osimhen made 32 appearances for Napoli last season in all competitions, scoring 17 goals, providing four assists, and totalling 2,476 minutes played, but his season prior was even more impressive, scoring 31 goals and providing five assists in 39 appearances.
How Osimhen compares to Erling Haaland
Once proclaimed to be a "force of nature" by the Italian press, Osimhen brings a physical profile that suits the Premier League down to the ground, and a similar one that has seen Haaland become so successful for Manchester City.
Haaland made 45 appearances for Man City last season in all competitions, scoring 38 goals, providing six assists, and totalling 3,745 minutes played.
Goals
0.62
0.92
0.93
Assists
0.11
0.14
0.12
xG
0.65
0.98
0.79
Shots Total
3.69
4.07
4.49
Shots on Target
1.53
1.86
1.83
Goals/Shot
0.14
0.17
0.19
G-xG
-0.03
-0.09
+0.14
Progressive Carries
1.59
1.14
1.60
Shot-Creating Actions
2.47
2.08
2.74
Touches (Att Pen)
6.83
6.57
7.77
Aerials Won
1.81
1.35
2.44
A carry is considered progressive if the ball is moved towards the opponent's goal at least 10 yards from its starting point or is carried into the penalty area.
For the best analysis, it's best to include Osimhen's prior season (where he scored 31 goals) in order to apply context to the statistical differences between his two seasons that differ by 14 goals.
One of the main statistics looked at and valued when assessing strikers in the market is xG (expected goals).
A striker's ability to get into goal-scoring areas on a frequent basis is seen as more valuable than the finishing aspect itself, as even some of the very best goalscorers underperform their xG in regard to actual goals scored.
Haaland is a brilliant example of this, having a G-xG metric of -0.09, creating 0.98 xG per 90, and scoring 38 goals last season. Although he is missing chances he "should" be scoring, the sheer volume of xG he creates, allows him to score a plethora of goals even when underperforming xG.
Osimhen had his first season of underperforming xG since the 2020/21 season, with an G-xG metric of -0.03. Despite underperforming his xG, the Nigerian bagged 17 goals, again purely down to the xG he generates.
Goals minus expected goals (G-xG) is the difference between how many goals a player has scored and how many goals they were expected to score (xG). Positive xG = good and negative xG = poor.
Napoli had their worst season since the 2008/09 season in terms of performance, finishing tenth in Serie A.
Whilst Osimhen was, of course, a part of this, other factors could also have affected him reaching his maximum output, including three managerial changes during a season.
This shows even at his worst, Osimhen will produce chances and high xG with his box presence, aerial prowess, and movement to receive the ball in the danger area, averaging close to seven penalty area touches per 90, which is actually more than Haaland.
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