{"id":1360587,"date":"2024-08-08T14:30:03","date_gmt":"2024-08-08T13:30:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/?p=1360587"},"modified":"2024-08-08T15:04:39","modified_gmt":"2024-08-08T14:04:39","slug":"samu-omorodion-chelsea-transfer-striker","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/news\/samu-omorodion-chelsea-transfer-striker\/","title":{"rendered":"Samu Omorodion to Chelsea transfer: Blues close in on raw Spanish attacking talent"},"content":{"rendered":"

Chelsea<\/a> are working on a deal to make Atl\u00e9tico Madrid forward Samu Omorodion their latest acquisition this summer.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Selling the 20-year-old would help Los Colchoneros raise funds to purchase Manchester City forward Juli\u00e1n \u00c1lvarez, whom they agreed to sign for \u00a385m on Monday.<\/p>\n

Omorodion joined Atl\u00e9tico last summer, just days after making his La Liga debut for Granada, where he scored against the Madrid side.<\/p>\n

[dugoutvideo id=”eyJrZXkiOiIiLCJwIjoic3F1YXdrYSIsInBsIjoiS25BVzdIeXgifQ==” partner=”squawka”]<\/p>\n

Atl\u00e9tico immediately sent Omorodion on loan to Alav\u00e9s, where he scored eight goals in 35 appearances. He is currently at the Olympics and has scored once in Spain’s run to the finals.<\/p>\n

This summer, Chelsea has spent about \u00a3115m on midfielders Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Renato Veiga, and Omari Kellyman, goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen, defenders Tosin Adarabioyo and Caleb Wiley, winger Estevao Willian, and striker Marc Guiu.<\/p>\n

All of these new faces, along with those remaining at the club, will be playing under Enzo Maresca, who was appointed as Mauricio Pochettino’s replacement after the Argentine coach surprisingly resigned following one season at Stamford Bridge.<\/p>\n

Early reports indicated a clash in philosophies that could cause issues during the 2024\/25 season, leading to a parting of ways. Shortly after the departure, numerous coaches were considered for the high-profile position.<\/p>\n

Marseca, previously mentored by Pep Guardiola, ultimately secured the role after impressively leading Leicester City back into the Premier League. The decision-makers at West London believed that his vision aligned with theirs as Chelsea aims to compete at the top of English football.<\/p>\n

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However, given their substantial investment in Chelsea’s playing squad, the ownership understandably desired more. Even though they finished strongly, the Blues ended the season in sixth place, earning them a spot in the Conference League.<\/p>\n

Chelsea scored 77 league goals, the club’s third-highest total behind the title-winning seasons of 2009\/10 (103) and 2016\/17 (85). Only two Premier League clubs (Newcastle with 15.4% and Aston Villa’s 14.8%) recorded a better shot-conversion rate than Chelsea’s 14%.<\/p>\n

The Blues ranked fifth in expected goals with 80.21, while they missed 73 big chances, the same as Manchester City and six fewer than Liverpool. Indeed, they struggled to score goals for most of the 2023\/24 season. That aforementioned late surge ultimately saw them outperform their expected goals (xG) by 1.7 (77 goals from 75.3 xG). To put this improvement into context, Pochettino’s men were underperforming by 6.7 goals (36 goals from 42.7 xG) by the start of February.<\/p>\n

Cole Palmer finished as the club’s leading scorer with 25 goals in all competitions, eight more than Nicolas Jackson, who endured a much-maligned debut campaign at Stamford Bridge. However, in fairness, the Senegalese forward wasn’t expected to lead Chelsea’s attack, with Christopher Nkunku also joining the club. However, the former RB Leipzig marksman sustained a serious knee injury in pre-season, meaning those responsibilities fell on Jackson’s shoulders.<\/p>\n

One goal in his first six Premier League appearances before netting five in five (aided by a bizarre hat-trick against Tottenham) and ultimately registering 14 goals across 35 games, though he did underperform his xG total of 18.6. Jackson nevertheless exceeded his total output for Villarreal in La Liga by two goals and in the same number of matches played.<\/p>\n

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8 – Samu Omorodion has scored 8 goals after 22 appearances in LaLiga 23\/24, the third highest tally for an Alav\u00e9s player at this stage of the season in the competition in the 21st Century (Joselu 10 in 21\/22 y 9 in 19\/20 and Lucas P\u00e9rez 9 in 19\/20). Streak. pic.twitter.com\/hemmerJE3J<\/a><\/p>\n

— OptaJose (@OptaJose) February 10, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n