£17m ace nearing Chelsea exit after Madueke, it’d free up space for Ekitike

As everybody anticipated it to be, this summer season has been nothing wanting a whirlwind for Chelsea.

Alongside their unimaginable performances on the Membership World Cup, which they’re a recreation away from profitable, the Blues have been as busy as ever within the switch window.

The likes of Liam Delap, Joao Pedro and Jamie Gittens have all joined Enzo Maresca’s aspect earlier than preseason has even begun, and it appears to be like like they may wish to add yet another ahead to the combo in Hugo Ekitiké.

The French dynamo has been linked with the West Londoners for fairly a while this summer season, and it appears to be like just like the membership is likely to be making one other sale to release funds for his £85m price ticket, and no, it is not Noni Madueke.

Why Chelsea need Ekitike

It’d sound quite simplistic, and it most likely is, but it surely’s plain that one in every of, if not the principle cause Chelsea wish to signal Ekitike this summer season is his output.

For instance, in 48 appearances final season, totalling 3644 minutes, the previous Paris Saint-Germain prospect scored a mammoth 22 objectives and supplied 12 assists in addition.

Which means the 23-year-old averaged a purpose involvement each 1.41 video games, or each 107.17 minutes, which is the form of productiveness that would hearth Maresca’s males up the desk.

On prime of his good potential to attain and help objectives, the “subsequent Mbappé,” as journalist Graeme Bailey as soon as dubbed him, additionally has some spectacular underlying numbers to his title.

For instance, FBref ranks him within the prime 4% of forwards in Europe’s prime 5 leagues for non-penalty anticipated objectives plus assists, progressive carries and profitable take-ons, all per 90.

Total, Ekitike appears to be like to be an entire and significantly harmful ahead who’d undoubtedly enhance Chelsea, however as a result of his huge price ticket, the membership may need to make some gross sales earlier than signing him.

Fortuitously, that appears to be what they’re doing, as, alongside Madueke, one in every of their attackers is nearing the exit.

The Chelsea star set to go away

The large exit story relating to Chelsea during the last week or so has undoubtedly been that of Madueke’s.

In any case, it’s yet one more instance of Arsenal shopping for a participant the membership don’t thoughts dropping, and for a large charge of round £52m.

Nevertheless, whereas the Englishman has understandably caught all of the headlines, he isn’t the one attacker who appears to be like set to go away.

At the least, not in keeping with a latest report from Portugal that has claimed João Félix is nearing a return to his former membership Benfica.

The report has revealed that following constructive talks with the participant and his camp, the Liga Nos giants are engaged on a deal to deliver him again to Lisbon on a everlasting deal.

The ultimate worth the Blues will obtain for the participant is being saved beneath wraps per the story, however some studies recommend it might be round €20m – £17m.

Though that is not quite a bit, eradicating his £130k-per-week wages will assist the signing of recent abilities like Ekitkie.

The previous Atlético Madrid ace solely joined the West Londoners for £45m final summer season, however following an underwhelming first half of the marketing campaign during which he produced 9 purpose involvements in 20 video games – 4 of which got here within the Convention League – he was despatched to AC Milan on mortgage.

Sadly, the Viseu-born ace struggled to make a lot of an affect on the San Siro as properly, and ended his stint there with simply 4 purpose involvements in 21 video games.

In the end, it’s a disgrace that it hasn’t labored out for the Portuguese worldwide, however this deal appears like the suitable transfer for all events concerned.

He will get the possibility to reignite his profession, Benfica get their arms on somebody who might nonetheless be particular, and Chelsea can recuperate some cash to spend elsewhere.