Pochettino confirms Chelsea transfer rumour that’s TRUE

Robin Bairner

• 13 Jan 2024 08:45 GMT
• 3 min read

Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino has confirmed one transfer rumour surrounding the Stamford Bridge club that is true, and that could see the Stamford Bridge side forced into the market this January.

Pochettino says that Chelsea may be forced to sign another forward player because of the ongoing uncertainty over the fitness of Christopher Nkunku.

The France international has been absent from training for 10 days due to a hip injury and has managed only one Premier League start this season.

“It’s true that now in the next few days we are going to see the situation,” Pochettino said. “That’s why I told you that I am a little worried. I still don’t have all the information about whether he is going to be available or not for a small initial period. We need to be very clinical to take some decisions to think and see how we fix the problem.”

On top of Nkunku’s injury issues, Chelsea are also without Nicolas Jackson because of international duty, leaving the out-of-form Armando Broja as their only No.9.

Osimhen or Toney to sign?

Chelsea have been most closely linked with striker Victor Osimhen of Napoli in recent weeks, with reports indicating that they are willing to bring forward a planned summer approach to this month in a desperate bid to add firepower to their ranks.

There are two main impediments to this deal, however. The first is that Osimhen, like Jackson, is away at the Africa Cup of Nations potentially until the middle of February, while the second is the huge transfer fee the Napoli forward commands.

Similarly, Chelsea have also been linked with a January transfer for Brentford’s Ivan Toney, but the Bees’ asking price in the region of €115 million (£100m) for a striker who has not played since last season is liable to put Pochettino’s side off.

There are claims that the Blues are ready to trigger the release clause of Estevao Willian, nicknamed ‘Messinho’, yet a €60m deal for the 16-year-old winger, who could not hook up with the team until he turns 18, would only make signing a centre forward this month trickier for the Blues.