Chelsea are expected to revive their move for a new striker at the start of 2025.
The Blues were heavily linked with a host of attackers during the summer transfer market despite their need to sell players to maintain financial balance at Stamford Bridge.
In the final days of the summer window, a move for Napoli striker Victor Osimhen collapsed, as he eventually joined Galatasaray on loan for the 2024/25 campaign.
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Despite securing a contact extension for Nicolas Jackson, head coach Enzo Maresca still wants to add goals to his attack, and Bayer Leverkusen's Victor Boniface has emerged as an option.
Victor Boniface contract, transfer fee
As per reports from Teamtalk.com, Boniface has stormed to the top of Chelsea's shortlist, with Osminhen no longer viewed as viable by the Chelsea hierarchy.
Boniface joined Leverkusen last summer, with his current contract tying him to the BayArena until 2028, as he netted 14 league goals and Xabi Alonso's side won their first-ever Bundesliga title in 2023/24.
Leverkusen paid €21m ($24m) to sign Boniface from Belgian side Union Saint-Gilloise, but his current transfer value is exactly double that fee, after just over 12 months in Germany.
Why do Chelsea want Victor Boniface? Key stats, playing style
Boniface offers a similar profile to Jackson, as a quick central attacker with strengths in 1 vs. 1 situations, and a ruthless eye for goal.
Maresca would look to start him as the central player in his attack, flanked by Cole Palmer and Joao Felix, with Christopher Nkunkuin a No.10 role.
Alongside his eye for goal, his consistency to find the back of the net is a key factor in Chelsea's interest, as they look to match their rivals for firepower.
Chelsea have scouted Victor Boniface in recent weeks as they track his progress at Bayer Leverkusen, per reports 🇳🇬🔵 pic.twitter.com/i3DJBBSlAk
— LiveScore (@livescore) September 26, 2024
His data for this season is already impressive, but a look at his numbers from the full 2023/24 campaign, shows his strengths.
At the end of 2023/24, he was No.2 for xG per 90 minutes in the Bundesliga, at a rate of 0.90, bettered only by Harry Kane on 0.97. Only Kane and Haaland (1.03) emerged above him in that metric across Europe's Top Five Leagues.
