4 young strikers Chelsea could sign to replace Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the future
Gabonese striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was among a couple of new faces brought in by Chelsea during the 2022 summer transfer window.
The 34-year-old forward joined the Blues from Barcelona for a transfer fee in the region of €12 million. He put pen to paper on a two-year deal at Stamford Bridge.
His transfer is widely considered a short-term solution to Chelsea's striking dilemma due to Romelu Lukaku and Timo Werner's departures this summer. While Werner re-joined RB Leipzig permanently, Lukaku returned to Inter Milan on loan.
The Blues are very much expected to be in the market for a new centre-forward to replace the Gabonese in the near future.
Without further ado, this article will take a look at the four high-profile strikers the west London club could sign.
#4 Victor Osimhen
The Nigerian player is currently one of the most promising young strikers in Europe, as his career has been on the rise in recent seasons.
Victor Osimhen has continued to live up to his potential since making a big-money move from Lille to Napoli in the summer of 2020.
Partenopei splashed a whooping €75 million to secure Osimhen's services from Lille. The fee made him one of the most expensive African players in history.
Victor Osimhen is a match-winner 🇳🇬 https://t.co/PwFo2S0iij
He is strong, pacy, athletic and possesses incredible shooting techniques which makes him a complete centre-forward. He has registered 33 goals and 10 assists in 71 appearances for Napoli so far.
Osimhen's style of play has also been linked to that of Chelsea legend Didier Drogba.
The Ivorian also revealed his admiration for Osimhen in an interview as seen in Goal, and labeled him a 'great striker'.
#3 Benjamin Šeško
Another young centre-forward who could be a good addition to Chelsea team to replace Aubameyang in the near future is Benjamin Šeško.
The Slovenian striker is another young player who has been tipped to have a promising career. He has already been linked with several European heavyweights.
Chelsea are checking the status of RB Salzburg's 19-year-old Slovenian striker Benjamin Sesko.
🟦 #CFC 🟥 #RBSalzburg
🚨 Chelsea are checking the status of RB Salzburg's 19-year-old Slovenian striker Benjamin Sesko.
🇸🇮 🟦 #CFC 🟥 #RBSalzburg https://t.co/Nxb7Obq4rs
Šeško will join German club RB Leipzig in the summer of 2023. They reached an agreement with Austrian side Red Bull Salzburg for a fee in the region of €24 million.
He has scored 17 goals and provided nine assists in 59 matches for Salzburg.
#2 Tammy Abraham
The Blues could also opt to re-sign their former academy graduate, Tammy Abraham, who has been impressive at AS Roma.
The 25-year-old centre-forward signed for the Italian club from Chelsea for a fee in the region of £34 million.
Prior to his move, Abraham spent two full seasons with the Blues senior team and was the club's top scorer during the 2019-20 campaign. He registered a total of 18 goals and six assists in 47 matches in all competitions that season.
Tammy Abraham bags his first European goal of the season 💪 https://t.co/D2sUqhm98U
The west London club have inserted a buy-back clause worth around £68 million in his contract with AS Roma. It can be activated in the summer of 2023, should the Blues wish to bring Abraham back to Stamford Bridge.
Abraham has scored 30 goals in 68 matches for Roma, helping them win the inaugural UEFA Europa Conference League last season.
#1 Cody Gakpo
While primarily a left-winger, Cody Gakpo's versatility could see him also play as a striker, a profile quite similar to Aubameyang during his early days.
The Dutch forward is currently one of the most in-form players in Europe this season and could be a good addition to the Chelsea squad.
Gakpo has registered 13 goals and 14 assists in 21 matches across all competitions this season, making him one of the highest goal contributors in Europe.
Cody Gakpo has been unleashed this season 🔥 https://t.co/81SYSmnqaV
The forward was the subject of transfer interest from a couple of Premier League clubs during the summer transfer window. His recent form could attract more interest and Chelsea could leverage the situation.