Ranking All 20 of Chelsea’s Attackers: From Top to Bottom

Chelsea`s recruitment of forwards continues at a rapid pace. Since the Clearlake Capital consortium`s takeover in the summer of 2022, the club has permanently signed 19 wingers, strikers, and attacking midfielders. This number is expected to reach a round 20 soon, with Borussia Dortmund`s Jamie Gittens anticipated to join. He would follow Joao Pedro, who signed from Brighton & Hove Albion for $69 million on Wednesday, and is expected to feature in the final matches of the Club World Cup.

This extensive spending amounts to over half a billion dollars invested solely in the attack during the three years under the leadership of Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali. What`s particularly striking about this investment is that some of it felt truly necessary. While opinions may vary on the specific players Chelsea has chosen, by the end of last season, it was clear that Enzo Maresca`s side needed a left winger to replace Jadon Sancho (who returned to Manchester United, incurring a penalty fee) and a second senior striker to either compete with or surpass Nicolas Jackson. To truly contend for titles rather than just qualify for the Champions League, Chelsea likely needs further injections of top-tier talent.

However, as this extensive list will demonstrate, there are many other factors to consider beyond just whether the current forwards can help Chelsea win major trophies. What is the market for Raheem Sterling, with two years remaining on his $410,000-a-week contract, his value diminished by a disappointing loan spell at Arsenal? Are Deivid Washington and David Datro Fofana the latest examples of the “loan army” seen during Roman Abramovich`s era, potentially destined to spend their twenties moving from club to club on loan, hoping one will eventually offer a permanent deal?

There`s a significant amount to analyze, providing plenty of material for this ranking. How we`re differentiating these players is more subjective than scientific, taking into account their importance to Chelsea as well as the quality of their performances in recent seasons. You probably won`t be surprised by who`s number one…

1. Cole Palmer

More than just Chelsea`s best player, Cole Palmer is a perfect example of how the club`s recruitment model *should* work. Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart weren`t afraid to spend heavily, bringing Palmer from the periphery of the Manchester City squad for around $55 million – a fee they could easily double or treble if they ever decided to sell. At his peak early last season, he was arguably the best attacker in the Premier League outside of Mohamed Salah. Even after a slight dip, he finished in the league`s top 10 for both assists and goals. With Palmer, Chelsea unquestionably has a player capable of starring for a championship-winning team.

2. Nicolas Jackson

Nicolas Jackson might frustrate fans on his off days, but regardless of whether the ball finds the net, he consistently does something crucial for a top striker: he gets shots off. Last season, he averaged 3.41 non-penalty shots per 90 minutes, identical to Erling Haaland. His non-penalty xG of 0.55 is also highly impressive. As the shot chart below illustrates, many of his attempts come from good positions; his 0.163 xG per shot is well above the Premier League average. It`s also worth noting the strong partnership he developed with Cole Palmer.

There are valid questions about his finishing composure and maturity, but it`s important to remember he is still only 24. Given his contract runs until just after his 32nd birthday, there is ample time to refine the aspects of his game that currently separate him from a striker of Victor Osimhen`s caliber.

3. Joao Pedro

Since arriving in England with Watford five years ago, Joao Pedro has consistently shown flashes of being a genuinely interesting player. He possesses the fundamental qualities, and his ability to create shooting opportunities for himself and teammates, along with drawing fouls, indicates a footballing intelligence beyond his 23 years. Joao Pedro has been used across the forward line, which could highlight his versatility or suggest he hasn`t fully excelled in one specific role. His goal tally of 19 over the last two Premier League seasons sounds good, but nine of those were penalties. If judged purely as a striker, he performs many non-striker duties effectively: assisting, progressing the ball, and winning back possession. Compared to other wingers, he takes plenty of shots. Having a versatile forward in the squad is valuable, though perhaps not at a cost of $70 million.

Clearly, it hasn`t taken us long to reach the players whose contributions are less certain…

4. Liam Delap

Another player whose future trajectory is hard to predict, Liam Delap impressed last season in an Ipswich side that ultimately couldn`t avoid relegation. In addition to his 12 goals, he brought a strong work rate to the center-forward role. If viewed positively, he averaged eight shots per 100 touches last season, more than anyone else in the Chelsea squad except Jackson. The raw attributes are present, and he has performed well in the Club World Cup. But is he a player who can make the jump to become the starting number nine for a title-challenging team?

5. Jamie Gittens

The only player on this list not yet technically a Chelsea player, Gittens is expected to finalize his move from Borussia Dortmund after the Club World Cup. When he arrives, he will add valuable pace to Maresca`s attack and a genuine ability to accelerate past defenders. In the transition-focused Bundesliga, Gittens looked devastating, but his eight goals came from a relatively low 3.6 xG. To truly shine in England, he will need to improve both as a creator and a finisher. At $76.1 million, this transfer looks like a gamble, but Gittens shoots well and can be integrated into the side gradually as a secondary or tertiary attacker in a 4-2-3-1 formation. This could potentially be a very rewarding signing.

6. Noni Madueke

Based purely on talent, Madueke could be placed higher, perhaps in the third spot. The young winger appeared to be making significant progress last season, with a tally of 11 goals and four assists that perhaps doesn`t fully capture how consistently the 23-year-old found himself in dangerous positions. Averaging three and a half shots per 90 minutes is an excellent sign for a winger, especially as he doesn`t pad stats with low-probability shots from distance. If Madueke continues on the path he was on in 2024-25, he has the potential to become one of the best attackers in England before long.

It`s curious, then, that he seems to be one of the players Chelsea is willing to sell to fund other acquisitions. Doubling their money should be the target, and if they achieve that, it`s hard to argue the signing wasn`t a resounding success. On the other hand, if you`ve developed a player to the brink of becoming a truly dangerous Premier League attacker, doesn`t it make sense to let him reach those heights while still at your club?

7. Pedro Neto

After securing Pedro Neto with a deal exceeding $70 million, outbidding rivals, Chelsea got more than expected in one key area: appearances. His 44 matches across all competitions surpassed his total from the previous two years with Wolves combined. However, this increased playing time hinted that Neto`s main issue isn`t a lack of rhythm. He simply doesn`t deliver final product as often as he should, with his six goals coming from a mere 3.8 xG. A combined expected goals and expected assists of 0.33 per 90 Premier League minutes simply falls short of the standard Chelsea ought to demand.

8. Estevao Willian

Predicting how the 18-year-old will fare when he moves from Brazil to England this summer is, of course, impossible. However, at a very young age, he was already dominating in his homeland, scoring 13 goals and providing nine assists in his age 16 season with Palmeiras. For now, it`s unclear how Estevao Willian will adapt to life in London, but his promising performance against Porto in the Club World Cup offers a positive sign for his future across the Atlantic.

9. Tyrique George

One of the bright spots of Chelsea`s Conference League campaign was the senior game time afforded to Tyrique George. By the end of the season, the 19-year-old was transitioning from significant minutes with a reserve side into a super-sub role in the Premier League. Reports suggest he may depart on loan this summer, which appears to be a wise move, given he seems ready for the regular playing time that Maresca might not be able to offer him at Chelsea.

10. Christopher Nkunku

If a suitable offer arrives, it seems likely that Christopher Nkunku will leave Chelsea. Last season proved to be a difficult one for the former Bundesliga Player of the Season. Given the patchy transfer record under the current ownership, it`s tempting to look for flaws that should have been apparent when they signed the 27-year-old. In all probability, however, this was simply a case of Nkunku suffering an injury just as he seemed poised for a big season, allowing Palmer to claim the number 10 spot.

11. Marc Guiu

There`s no denying that Marc Guiu was far too good for teams like Shamrock Rovers, Astana, and others he faced in the Conference League. What that means for his long-term role as a center forward at Chelsea will likely only become clear after he`s spent a season or two out on loan. Still, as a $7 million acquisition, there`s relatively little downside risk for the Blues concerning the 19-year-old`s development.

12. Kendry Paez

Another player whose impact on the Chelsea side remains to be seen. Kendry Paez is expected to spend next season on loan at Strasbourg, marking his first step in European football. This attacking midfielder holds the records for both the youngest debutant and scorer in Ecuador`s top flight.

13. Carney Chukwuemeka

Some might argue that Carney Chukwuemeka is included here simply to reach a neat total of 20 players. To them, we can only quote the player himself: `I prefer not to speak.` If I were to speak, I would say: look, the guy plays the same attacking midfield position as Palmer. He counts.

Regarding Chukwuemeka as a player, the glimpses seen in a Chelsea shirt suggest a prospect of real talent, whose early career has been hampered by injuries. The Blues would ideally prefer to sell the former Aston Villa player but may have to settle for another year of loaning him out. Borussia Dortmund, it`s reported, are more inclined to take him back to Germany temporarily rather than meet Chelsea`s asking price for a permanent move.

14. Armando Broja

Armando Broja has been a member of the loan group for some time now, not helped by seemingly unrealistic valuations like the reported $68.5 million Chelsea sought for him in January 2024. In 331 Premier League minutes on loan at Everton last season, Broja registered just four shots. It`s difficult to foresee the Blues commanding a significant price for him this summer.

15. Omari Kellyman

A case could be made for excluding Kellyman from this list, given a hamstring injury robbed him of the chance to go on loan, feature in the Conference League, or potentially earn minutes with the youth setup last season. However, Chelsea did spend $26 million on him last summer. That`s first-team money, even if it`s not yet clear if they acquired a player who can make an impact on their senior squad.

16. David Datro Fofana

When Chelsea signed Fofana, it seemed their scouts had discovered a star in Norway. However, three loan spells have passed since without much notable success, and he spent the second half of last season recovering from a knee injury. The club will likely struggle to find a long-term buyer for Fofana.

17. Deivid Washington

Let`s check in on how Deivid Washington is progressing, given a chance to build form in his homeland with Santos…

Not looking good, is it?

18. Raheem Sterling

It`s not that these final three players possess less talent than those ranked above them, nor is it entirely impossible to imagine them having a future career at Chelsea. However, it`s highly improbable, especially in Sterling`s situation.

Perhaps a Premier League club will take a chance on Sterling, gambling that his struggles at Arsenal weren`t due to a physical decline but rather insufficient playing time to maintain sharpness. One could envision him in the colors of Crystal Palace or Fulham if he were willing to accept a reduced salary next season. However, his performance in North London strongly suggested that Sterling`s pace and physicality are indeed diminishing, indicating he is past his peak, a trend that was perhaps evident even before he joined Chelsea.

19. Joao Felix

Among these final three, Joao Felix`s continued presence on the roster is perhaps the most perplexing. The club had an extensive look at him during the second half of the 2022-23 season. A generous assessment would be that he showed flashes of talent but wasn`t someone wise to commit long-term finances to.

Yet, Chelsea did exactly that 10 months ago, in what appeared to be a financial maneuver potentially linked to facilitating the sale of the valuable Conor Gallagher. Now, they are committed to Felix for another six years unless they can find a buyer. Perhaps a Saudi Arabian club will offer a lifeline, and that might be an appealing option for Felix too. Without that, it`s difficult to see easy solutions for Chelsea beyond an ongoing series of subsidized loan deals.

20. Mykhailo Mudryk

While there`s at least a possibility of moving Sterling and Felix on (though perhaps not for the prices Chelsea would like), as of now, it`s hard to see a path for Mykhailo Mudryk, who faces a potential ban of up to four years following a failed drugs test. It`s worth noting that even if he received the maximum ban from the date of his provisional suspension, he would still have two and a half years remaining on his Chelsea contract when he became eligible to play again (though questions about contract termination for gross misconduct would likely arise).

Regardless of the ban, Mudryk has not been a particularly impressive signing since Chelsea committed up to $118 million for him. The Ukrainian quickly appeared to be a player who struggled to effectively utilize his speed, delivering only 10 goals and 11 assists in 73 games.