Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino is tasked with securing Champions League football this term, with the club finishing in the bottom half of the Premier League during 2022/23.
It won't be easy, however, given the vast clear-out which has been underway since the transfer window opened, along with his own shrewd business, the Argentinian could get them challenging for a top-four spot.
He urgently needs another striker or two and the Stamford Bridge outfit have been linked with a move for Elye Wahi this summer.
Could Chelsea sign Elye Wahi?
Fabrizio Romano claimed that the Blues were “advancing in talks” to sign the striker from Montpellier last week.
A recent update however has seen the French side reject a bid of £24m for the 20-year-old from Chelsea, but the forward – who has been valued at around €30m (£26m) – is still keen on making a move to London.
It is reported that if a deal is struck between the two clubs, Wahi could first spend a season on loan at Strasbourg before moving to the Premier League side from the 2024/25 campaign.
How good is Elye Wahi?
Following the appointment of Jose Mourinho in 2004, he earmarked Didier Drogba as his main target. The Ivorian was playing for Marseille at the time and the club shelled out £24m to lure him to London, turning out to be one of their finest-ever signings.
Drogba became something of a talisman for the Stamford Bridge side, scoring 164 goals across two spells at the club and immortalising himself by scoring the winning penalty as Chelsea beat Bayern Munich in the 2012 Champions League Final.
Wahi, like Drogba, would join Chelsea from the French top-flight, and he would also have something to prove following impressive performances in Ligue 1.
The youngster ranked first across the Montpellier squad for league goals last season (19) along with topping the pile for shots on target per game (1.2) and penalties won (two). He did showcase his ability to create opportunities for others too as he registered five assists and created seven big chances, indicating that he is more than just a penalty box operator waiting for chances to score.
Reporter Andrés Onrubia Ramos waxed lyrical about the prodigious talent in 2022, saying: “Montpellier: Elye Wahi (2003). If he manages to polish the definition, we are facing a striker who is going to exceed ten goals per season.
“A real beast in space that, in addition, associatively also leaves interesting things. It should definitely explode.”
Drogba was also a menace to defenders like Wahi, using his physical strength to win duels regularly and not only did he score goals, but he enjoyed the physical battle and creating opportunities for teammates, with ex-Crystal Palace man Wilfried Zaha notably saying of his talents:
"He was literally a beast. Defenders just couldn't handle him He'd hold someone off and – at the same time – turn and swerve and volley it in somehow. He was different class."
Wahi won three duels on average per game last term and the older he gets; the striker will also develop further physically, suggesting that the 5 foot 10 gem could be a hit in the Premier League.
It appears as though Pochettino has a long-term plan for the club and as long as he improves the team during 2023/24, Wahi could arrive and become a key focal point in the near future.