Despite the red-hot form of Nicolas Jackson this season, Chelsea continue to be linked with other strikers.
One centre-forward whom Chelsea are rumoured to be interested in is Sporting Lisbon’s Viktor Gyokeres.
It has been claimed that Chelsea have watched Gyokeres in Europe this season, scouting him in his side’s 2-0 Champions League win against Lille.
Jackson has scored four goals in six Premier League appearances, while he has also managed to record three assists. But the Blues still appear to be tracking other No.9s.
Chelsea will have to trigger Viktor Gyokeres’ release clause
Gyokeres is having another amazing season. In seven league appearances, the 26-year-old has scored 10 goals.
It is not a shock, then, to hear that Sporting are unwilling to sell Gyokeres for anything lower than his release clause.
According to the Daily Mirror, that clause is set at £85m and Sporting are insistent that he will not be sold for anything less.
Gyokeres’ price tag has put Chelsea off before, so this one looks unlikely to happen if Sporting’s stance does not soften.
Should Chelsea trigger Viktor Gyokeres’ release clause?
If Gyokeres keeps scoring at the rate he has been, then Chelsea and the rest of Europe’s elite probably will have to consider paying £85m for Gyokeres if they are not already.
As for now, though, the Swede is not a striker whom the Blues need to think about, especially if he is going to cost £85m.
Again, Jackson is in good form, while Christopher Nkunku has impressed whenever he has played. The Frenchman scored a hat-trick against Barrow during the week.
Despite that, he was dropped for the Brighton win, but Maresca had already warned Nkunku that he cannot start every attacker in his squad.
At present, then, Nkunku and Jackson look like very good striker options. The Italian should persist with them, but if they stop firing and Maresca starts to have his doubts, then Chelsea should think about activating Gyokeres’ release clause.
Receive a digest of our best Chelsea content each week direct to your mailbox
