17 January 2024 , 09:13
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Chelsea legend John Obi Mikel has a simple demand for Mauricio Pochettino and Chelsea's owners - sign a striker to 'get in the f***ing box'.
The former Nigeria international, who won the Champions League with the Blues in 2012, is adamant that a new forward is required and they should be entirely focused on scoring goals.
Chelsea saw Nicolas Jackson and Christopher Nkunku arrive in the summer with both currently unavailable. The former is representing Senegal at AFCON, while the Frenchman is out of action with a hip injury.
Nkunku has made just four appearances for the west London side since picking up an injury in Chelsea's final pre-season match in the United States while Jackson has scored eight goals in 23 outings. Armando Broja has led the line in recent weeks but has not completed 90 minutes since May 2022.
Mikel, who played alongside the likes of Didier Drogba and Diego Costa during his time in London, wants to see a player who is simply focused on being in the opposition area.
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The ex-Chelsea midfielder said: "We need a striker, simple as that. We need a good one. If you watch Haaland, most of his goals, where are they? In the f***ing box. The box. So that’s where we need a striker to score goals - to get in the f***ing box."
It is expected that either the club's current crop of forwards will step up to the task or Chelsea will strengthen in the area across the next two transfer windows.
Napoli forward Victor Osimhen is one of the most in-demand forwards in world football (AFP via Getty Images)The club have already been linked to the likes of Victor Osimhen and Ivan Toney, but a move for either is more likely in the summer. Meanwhile a transfer for Sporting's Viktor Gyokeres looks unlikely.
And Mikel believes his compatriot Osimhen could provide the answer. "For me, the one we need is Osimhen because he’s someone who would come in and score goals," he said.
"He’s not the most technical guy but what he does is get you goals and that's what we really need, we need goals. When I see him I can tell he is at the Chelsea level and he'll get better with time.
"But the good thing about him is that he knows what his job is. His job is not to come in and mess around and that whole thing. It’s to score goals."