Chelsea could have solved Enzo Maresca’s biggest issue for less than £15m after targeting striker who scored four goals on Saturday

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When you look at Chelsea’s current squad, Enzo Maresca’s main problem is his lack of reliable options up front.

After Filip Jorgensen’s mistake against Aston Villa on Saturday, some will feel that goalkeeper is Chelsea‘s biggest issue right now.

But under Enzo Maresca, Chelsea have been creating so many chances. If the Blues had another senior striker to compete with Nicolas Jackson, one who was clinical, then the team could probably afford to make the odd mistake at the back.

Chelsea should still consider signing Caoimhin Kelleher or another shot-stopper, as Jorgensen and Robert Sanchez are making too many errors between the sticks regardless. But a centre-forward has to be their priority, and they had a great chance to bring in a very good one last summer, something the club may now regret not doing.

• READ MORE: Chelsea fans left frustrated at Filip Jorgensen after major error in 2-1 loss to Aston Villa, ‘sums up this club’…

Chelsea were interested in signing Serhou Guirassy before Borussia Dortmund move

The striker market has not been great for a while now, but Serhou Guirassy represented an amazing opportunity for Chelsea and other clubs last summer.

Guirassy had a £14.7m release clause in his contract, which Borussia Dortmund eventually activated to sign the Guinea international from Stuttgart.

At one stage, though, it was reported that Chelsea were in the race for Guirassy, who would have been a big help to them this season.

At 28, Guirassy has experience, something this Chelsea squad is sorely missing, while he also managed to score an impressive 30 goals in all competitions last term. On Saturday, the former Stuttgart star netted four times against Union Berlin, showing what he is capable of.

With Jackson currently out injured, Maresca could really do with a centre-forward like that. For whatever reason, though, Chelsea decided not to trigger Guirassy’s release clause.

The Guirassy ship has sailed now, but the Blues are likely to sign a new No.9 at some point. Liam Delap could be recruited from Ipswich Town before the Club World Cup even starts this summer.

How Serhou Guirassy and Nicolas Jackson compare this season

It is fair to say that Guirassy has not lost his goalscoring touch in the current campaign. His quartet of goals against Union Berlin has taken him to 23 in all competitions.

Thirteen of his goals have come in the Bundesliga, meaning that he has more league goals than Jackson after playing roughly the same amount of minutes.

Guirassy and Jackson‘s xG difference is also similar, -3.07 and -3.16 respectively, showing that both forwards could have been more clinical this season.

Still, the former has proven over these last two campaigns that he knows where the back of the net is. And having been available for less than £15m, Chelsea may have missed a trick here.