05 February 2023 , 12:59
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Gary Lineker has joked that Chelsea "could become a threat" if they spend even more money in the summer.
Graham Potter's side are languishing in ninth place after 21 Premier League fixtures despite welcoming 17 new signings since Todd Boehly's consortium purchased the club in a £4.25billion takeover last April. The January transfer window saw Boehly and Co. splash out £323million on eight new signings, with the likes of Enzo Fernandez, Joao Felix and Mykhaylo Mudryk arriving at Stamford Bridge, much to the bemusement of their rivals.
While the Blues are understood to have put in place a £52m deal with RB Leipzig for the signing of French forward Christopher Nkunku when the summer months roll round, Chelsea remain rudderless on the pitch. Their extravagant transfer business has prompted Lineker to join in the pile-on of ridicule with a sarcastic tweet following Friday's drab 0-0 draw with Fulham.
"If Chelsea are prepared to spend big in the summer they could become a threat," the former England hero posted on his Twitter account, receiving nearly 33,000 likes from those also revelling in the Blues' hapless form. Potter has overseen just one win from his last seven games in charge, putting pressure on his position.
The former Brighton boss still has the board's backing, though, especially when it comes to finances. Mirror Football understands that Chelsea are targeting Napoli striker Victor Osimhen for when the transfer window reopens on July 1, hoping to beat Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain to his signature.
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Osimhen leads the scoring charts in Serie A this season with a superb 14 goals, as Napoli went into their 21st match of the campaign on Sunday with a 13-point lead at the top of the Italian league table. The 24-year-old Nigerian's arrival, coupled with Nkunku's, would likely take co-controlling owner Boehly's outlay to well over £700m but resolve a long-standing issue.
Chelsea co-controlling owner Todd Boehly sanctioned £323million on signings in January (IKIMAGES/AFP via Getty Images)Have your say! Should Chelsea have been allowed to spend so much? Join the debate in the comments section.
The Blues are in desperate need of a new striker to replace the toothless and out-of-favour Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, and Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher reckons that the position must be addressed in the summer. "You go back to how much they've spent, £600million, and that will keep getting mentioned," Carragher told Sky Sports.
"But the thing that leaves you scratching your head a little bit is: they haven't got a striker! They've spent £600m without really buying a striker. I know they've got Nkunku coming next season but there’s nothing really there right now. It looks like Aubameyang is not in the Champions League squad, either, so it does feel really glaring that one big position for them on the pitch."