‘Chelsea striker transfer to get green light from UEFA as major block removed’
Chelsea have received a major boost in their pursuit of a striking sensation who could be the solution to their goal-scoring woes, amid competition from Crystal Palace.
Despite bouncing back from a dismal mid-season drop in form, Enzo Maresca‘s side are still lacking a consistent goal-scorer.
Nicolas Jackson has scored just once in the Premier League this calendar year, whilst Christopher Nkunku’s Chelsea career looks over after just two seasons in West London.
Thanks to their continued issues up front, signing a striker will likely be high on the club’s priority list this summer, and thanks to a last-minute Panenka penalty in Ligue 1, the Blues may be able to sign one of Europe’s most sought-after forwards.
Strasbourg star Emanuel Emegha a target for Chelsea
Strasbourg striker Emanuel Emegha is a target for Chelsea, according to French publication Foot Mercato.
The Dutch forward has netted 14 times in 27 Ligue 1 matches for his side, and it has been reported that discussions have already taken place around the striker switching France for England this summer.
However, the 22-year-old will likely have plenty of options this summer as Crystal Palace are plotting a move for Emegha, Mick Brown revealed exclusively to Football Insider.
Chelsea’s lack of depth at the striker position was exposed against Man United in their 1-0 win on Friday (16 May).
With Jackson serving a suspension for elbowing Sven Botman and Nkunku failing to feature since the 1-0 win over Everton in April, Tyrique George was called up to feature as a makeshift striker.
The 19-year-old looked uncomfortable leading the line for the Blues, heightening the need for a new forward this summer.
Strasbourg failure to qualify for Champions League a boost for Chelsea
Whilst Emegha suits the West London club’s needs, it looked as if Chelsea would be blocked by UEFA from signing the former Sturm Graz forward.
The two clubs both fall under BlueCo’s ownership umbrella, leading to issues with the player-sharing model that has been so successful for both parties.
Andrey Santos and Djordje Petrovic have both enjoyed successful loans in France this year, whilst Mamadou Sarr is set to join Chelsea from the French side permanently this summer.
UEFA rules state clubs with the same owners cannot do any business with each other if they are competing in the same competition, and it looked for all the world that Strasbourg would qualify for Champions League football this season.
However, in their final game of the season against struggling Le Havre, Liam Rosenior’s side lost 3-2, causing them to drop from fourth to seventh and miss out on Europe’s most prestigious competition.
| 2024/25 Ligue 1 stats | Emegha |
| Appearances | 27 |
| Starts | 27 |
| Goals | 14 |
| Assists | 3 |
| Minutes | 2,302 |
A point would have been enough to see them finish sixth and still qualify for the Conference League, but Abdoulaye Toure’s audacious 99th-minute Panenka penalty condemned Strasbourg to an immensely disappointing finish to their season.
Whilst it was heartbreak for Rosenior’s side, the result now allows Chelsea to swoop for Emegha without UEFA blocking the transfer, which could be crucial for the West London club as they look set to return to the Champions League after a three-year absence.