Enzo Maresca has certainly silenced a few doubters during his opening months as Chelsea boss, creating a settled Premier League side, with results improving as a result.
The Italian arrived in the summer, replacing Mauricio Pochettino and has made his own mark on the squad, leading to his front-foot attacking style taking the club to fourth place after the first 20 outings.
Such a philosophy has seen the Blues boast the third-highest goal tally of any side in the division, allowing the attacking-minded players to flourish under his guidance at Stamford Bridge.
Cole Palmer remains the top scorer with 13 goals, but Nicolas Jackson has also demonstrated his quality, and registered nine goals – finally starting to look like a player capable of producing the goods in forward areas.
However, January presents another opportunity for the 44-year-old to add further quality to his side, with one big-name talent already on their radar over a potential move to West London.
Chelsea interested in signing £67m star in January
According to journalist David Ornstein, Chelsea are in the race to sign Napoli winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia this month, but face serious competition from multiple other sides.
Liverpool, Manchester United and PSG and just three of the sides also interested in landing the 23-year-old who’s produced eight combined goals and assists throughout 2024/25.
The Georgian international could become available before the end of the month, which could spark a bidding war between all of the aforementioned clubs.
Another source has claimed that the Serie A outfit are demanding €80m (£67m) to part ways with their star attacker, but it’s unknown if any of the sides would be able to fork out such a fee.
Kvaratskhelia would be a phenomenal addition for the Blues, potentially becoming their own version of one of the leading stars in European football over the last few years.
Why Kvaratskhelia could be Chelsea’s own version of Mbappe
French star Kylian Mbappé is a player every club in the world must wish they had, especially given his output in front of goal – scoring countless goals and terrorising backlines in the process.
During his seven years with Ligue 1 side PSG, the 26-year-old registered 235 goals in 264 matches – a phenomenal record, with his best season coming during his final one in Paris, registering 44 across all competitions.
He subsequently moved to Real Madrid on a free transfer at the end of his contract ahead of the ongoing season, already scoring 14 times for his new outfit – maintaining his status as one of Europe’s most potent forwards.
Whilst Kvaratskhelia isn’t as prolific as the French international, he possesses serious quality with the ball at his feet, often cutting inside onto his right foot off the left – replicating the skill set of Mbappé.
As a result of his displays for Napoli this season, he’s been ranked as a similar player to the Real Madrid star by FBref, matching or bettering the 26-year-old in various key areas for an attacker.
Games played
17
17
Goals & assists
8
12
Progressive carries
5.7
5.1
Progressive passes
4.4
4.3
Shot-creating actions
4.4
3.3
Take-ons attempted
2.5
2.5
Carries into the final third
3.9
2.5
The Georgian, who’s been dubbed “one of the best dribblers in the world” by analyst Max Statman, has averaged more progressive carries and passes per 90 – showcasing his ability to take the ball into forward areas.
He’s also produced more shot-creating actions, whilst matching Mbappé for attempted take-ons, demonstrating how he could be the Blues’ very own version of the leading European attacker.
£67m may be another expensive addition for the Blues’ hierarchy, but he’s certainly got the quality to be worth every penny, further boosting the club’s top four ambitions.
Given his similarities to the Real Madrid ace, the club would be making a huge mistake in not pursuing a move for the Napoli man, with one of their English rivals potentially benefitting from their failure to secure a deal.
Maresca could form Chelsea's new Terry & Cahill by signing £70m star
Chelsea could sign a £70m star to partner Colwill and recreate the club’s famous Terry & Cahill duo.
ByConnor HoldenJan 10, 2025
