1 day Ago By Louis Sealey
Chelsea are already preparing for an important summer (Picture: Getty)Roberto Di Matteo has named two strikers Chelsea should be looking to sign this summer and urged his former club to launch a shock move for Emiliano Martinez.Despite spending over £1bn on signings in recent years, there remains a number of obvious holes in the Chelsea team, most notably up front and in goal.Chelsea have missed Nicolas Jackson since his recent injury lay-off but the Senegal striker was hardly prolific before his setback, going eight games without a goal.
Chelsea’s Champions League-winning manager Di Matteo ‘likes’ Jackson but believes the club should be looking to sign another striker in the summer, naming Alexander Isak and Victor Osimhen as two players he would love to see arrive at Stamford Bridge.Goalkeeper has also been a problem position for the Blues and Di Matteo has recommended a shock move for ex-Arsenal shot-stopper Martinez to fix the ‘issue’.Get personalised updates on Arsenal everydayWake up to find news on your club in your inbox every morning with Metro’s Football Newsletter.
Sign up to our newsletter and then select your team in the link we’ll send you so we can get football news tailored to you.Martinez has developed into one of the best goalkeepers in the world since joining Aston Villa in 2020, helping Argentina win the last World Cup.‘When it comes to strengthening the team in the summer, I’d probably be looking through the middle, first of all,’ Di Matteo told Ladbrokes.
Ex-Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo (Picture: Getty)‘It’s a very talented team, but they’re probably lacking a bit of experience, maybe, in terms of players who’ve had a lot of success, playing many years in the Premier League, knowing certain ways to win games.‘You can only gain that experience with time, and minutes in the league. I like Nicolas Jackson a lot, and he’s someone who can only get better.
‘I still think, though, Chelsea need a striker who is going to score them 25 goals a season – if you want to win the league, or challenge, that’s what you need.Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez (Picture: Getty)‘That’s not a criticism of Jackson though; I also think another striker would allow you the option to sometimes play with two up-front.‘I’d also look at the goalkeeper – that’s been an issue for Chelsea in the last couple of seasons, so maybe an experienced goalkeeper, with a big personality, who can come in and have an immediate impact on the back four.
‘That’s very important; that there’s a trust from your defenders to the goalkeeper, and vice versa.Enzo Maresca will bolster his Chelsea squad this summer (Picture: Getty)‘For me, there’s one name at the top of my mind who has those attributes..
. Emi Martinez, from Aston Villa. He’s at the right age now, he’s won titles, he’s a big personality.
‘Up-front, there are a couple of options you could go for. Alexander Isak, at Newcastle – he’s been playing in the Premier League for a while now, so he knows very much what the league is about.‘Then you’ve got Victor Osimhen, who has already been linked with the club before and he’s a top, top striker.
I’d be looking at either of those two, personally.’Chelsea have been repeatedly linked with Victor Osimhen (Picture: Getty)Di Matteo also discussed Chelsea’s main priority between now and the end of the season.Maresca’s side looked set to mount a title challenge earlier in the season but have since dropped to fourth in the Premier League table.
‘It’s very tight in the top half of the table – there’s just five points separating Chelsea in fourth and Bournemouth in 10th,’ Di Matteo added.‘All of those clubs right now will be looking at the top five, and Champions League qualification, as a realistic goal.‘That’s Chelsea’s priority now; Champions League football would be seen as a step up – an improvement.
I think they’re more than capable of doing it; they have a strong team, and some injured players are coming back – there’s definitely reason to be optimistic.‘I really like Enzo Maresca – his team plays great football, on the front foot, and they create a lot of chances. Things could be better in terms of conversion, but there’s a good system in place there.
‘I don’t see an issue there, with Maresca, at all. He’s a very dynamic, well-prepared, knowledgeable manager and coach.’After almost three weeks without a game, Chelsea return to Premier League action on Thursday night with a London derby against Tottenham.
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