Chelsea identify 3 players to reinforce attacking options this summer – Reports
Chelsea have reportedly identified three players, namely Michael Olise, Mohammed Kudus and Rayan Cherki, to bolster their offensive department ahead of the 2023-24 campaign.
The Blues are currently in the process of injecting new blood into their squad after their 12th-placed Premier League finish last season. They are said to be focussing on bringing in stars with an eye on the future to properly prepare for the upcoming two or three seasons.
According to football.london, Chelsea are keen to rope in Olise, Kudus and Cherki in the ongoing summer transfer window. Pochettino is dissatisfied with his current attacking options and would like to seal all three of the aforesaid stars' signatures as soon as possible.
Olise, 21, has impressed the Blues with his technical ability and his eye for a pass over the last couple of seasons. Since arriving from Reading for £8 million in 2021, he has scored six goals and provided 19 assists in 71 games across competitions for Crystal Palace.
Cherki, on the other hand, has popped up on Chelsea and Real Madrid's radar due to his fine showing last season. The 19-year-old versatile midfielder has registered 14 goals and 16 assists in 102 games for Lyon, starting just 44 matches across all competitions so far.
Kudus, who has also been linked with Arsenal and Manchester United of late, has emerged as a Chelsea target owing to his ability to feature as both a striker and a winger. The 22-year-old has netted 23 goals and laid out 11 assists in 84 matches for Ajax since 2020.
So far this summer, Mauricio Pochettino's outfit have roped in four new players for around £97 million. They have added Christopher Nkunku, Nicolas Jackson, Diego Moreira and Angelo Gabriel to their ranks.
How will Chelsea's frontline shape up if they manage to rope in all three of their targets?
Chelsea currently have two strikers and three wide operators in their senior squad following Kai Havertz, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, and Christian Pulisic's departures. They are also expected to sell Romelu Lukaku, Hakim Ziyech and Callum Hudson-Odoi in the near future.
Should they sign Michael Olise, Rayan Cherki and Mohammed Kudus soon, they would have a respectable offensive depth next campaign.
The Blues would have all three of them as solid options on the right flank alongside Noni Madueke. They could also deploy Cherki and Kudus in a number 10 role as a backup to Christopher Nkunku. Kudus could also emerge as an emergency option for Nicolas Jackson.
Interestingly, Mauricio Pochettino's outfit have already failed with a first attempt to sign Olise this summer. Their £39 million plus add-ons bid was rejected by Crystal Palace past week, as per RMC Sport.