During Chelsea’s Premier League break, Mauricio Pochettino may have hoped for some quiet time at home with his family, but he already knows he might not have that luxury because a new forward addition may be on the way.
The likelihood of receiving a call from the team’s sporting directors or owners seems high, since the Blues have been known to be busy throughout recent transfer windows and amid speculations about the potential addition of a new forward. Despite Nicolas Jackson playing for Senegal at the AFCON and Christopher Nkunku having a hip problem, Chelsea’s head coach refuted rumors on Saturday that he planned to sign a new striker this month.
The Frenchman’s injury will have an effect on how the west London team’s roster is evaluated. Prior to the victory over Fulham, Pochettino said that he was ‘somewhat concerned’ about the 26-year-old’s condition.
However, Pochettino is hoping for some relaxation following the fervor of the holiday season into the new year. The 51-year-old’s regular contact with sporting directors is unlikely to allow for too much time off until Chelsea face Middlesbrough in the Carabao Cup trying to overturn a one-goal deficit, despite the fact that many meetings were held with the club’s owners last week.
The players and staff are in need of some relaxation because they are going through a really busy time and they need to take a short break. This break is really helpful, according to Pochettino.
“It will be nice to have a little change of pace, and I have to travel to see my family in Spain. I won’t be able to truly unplug with the chairman. I will have to be reachable around-the-clock in case the owners or the sporting director need to get in touch with me. I am aware that in football, anything can happen at any time. To be perfectly honest, I would rather the phone never rang. It is far better for me if it doesn’t ring.
Benzema, the former striker for Real Madrid, is rumored to be missing his team’s training camp in Dubai due to missing sessions with the Saudi Pro League club. Firmino has only scored three goals in 19 matches, compared to the Frenchman’s twelve goals in his first 20 games.
Though neither of the two would seem to offer a good deal given their high salaries after their summer moves, one of them might be able to give Chelsea a short-term loan alternative.
It’s known that Chelsea might be hesitant to enter the transfer market in order to make quick money. The goal of Joao Felix’s loan one year ago was to prepare for a late run at Champions League success and qualifying, but it backfired as a busy window saw a bloated squad grow. As they now look for stability, the club’s performance at the end of 2022–2023 will give them something to think about.
Although there is still interest in a forward, it is anticipated that either a striker will arrive or Jackson, Nkunku, and Armando Broja will step up to establish themselves during the next two windows. If a player were to arrive, Broja would probably be the one going the other way as Chelsea tries to maintain control over the number of players on their roster.
