By Abdulgafar Muhammed
Securing a reliable center forward has always been a spell in modern football. And Chelsea more than any club can testify to this seemingly challenge.
Since the departure of the Spanish clinical finish Diego Costa, the Blues have been struggling to find another striker who can fill the gap—to consistently deliver both presence and decisive goals.
Being the last truly elite forward to wear the Chelsea shirt with authority, the Spanish poacher was not just an ordinary goal-scorer but also a hard man. His offensive pattern of play and physical dominance have made him a nightmare for the English Premier League defenders. It doesn’t matter whether he did it cleanly or with a touch of the dark arts—the results always come with class act.
With that rare mix of grit, aggression, and a Fox in the box ability, the Blues target man perfectly shouldered Chelsea’s title-winning sides under the management of José Mourinho and Antonio Conte. Since he left in 2017, the club has suffered, witnessing a carousel of strikers with low quality results. The club’s approach has often involved throwing money at the problem, signing big names with big expectations. Yet, season after season, those expectations have turned into disappointments.
From Higuaín to Romelu Lukaku, and Alvaro Morata to Timo Werner—none of these players neither managed to replicate Diego Costa’s consistency nor his deadly attributes.
Alvaro Morata arrived with a hefty price tag and a promising record at Real Madrid and Juventus. However he spent his days at Stamford Bridge struggling throughout his stay. Similarly, Gonzalo Higuain, once among Europe’s deadliest finishers, came in on loan but became a shadow of his former self. Then came the German star Timo Werner, whose blistering pace and movement raised hopes until his finishing always let him down, as he never quite adapted to the physical nature of English football.
Chelsea even brought back Romelu Lukaku in a sensational return, spending nearly £100 million to re-sign a player they had once let go. His strong stats gave fans reason to believe the striker jinx had finally been broken. But that belief quickly faded. His infamous interview, poor form, and lack of chemistry with the squad saw his second spell at Stamford Bridge ended just as disappointingly.
Meanwhile, Kai Havertz, primarily an attacking midfielder, was converted into the striker position out of necessity. Despite delivering in some big moments—including his winner in the 2021 UEFA Champions League final against Manchester City—he never looked like the kind of forward who could score 20+ goals a season—the kind of brilliancy needed by the team. His movement was smart, his technique refined but Chelsea were once again left without a true natural 9.
The signing of the Senegalese forward Nicolas Jackson has never looked like one that can propel Chelsea to the top where they belong due to his unreliability in front of goal and lack of aerial presence.
This constant striker shuffle hasn’t just affected Chelsea’s results, the club’s identity has also suffered overtime. The team, once renowned for possessing a powerful spine that includes dominant center forwards like Didier Drogba and Diego Costa, now plays with a revolving door at the front of the pitch. Without a focal point to build around, the team has often looked disjointed in attack, relying on midfielders and wingers to carry the goal-scoring responsibility.
And yet, the issue is not just about finishing. It is about presence, dominance, the ability to threaten defenders, hold up play, and drag the team forward when the game gets tight. That is what Drogba and Costa gave Chelsea. That is what the team has been missing.
The question remains the same: who will be the next messiah to finally break the cycle and bring Chelsea back to their dominant best?
