Chelsea’s Quest for a Striker as Benched Players Thrive in European Football
Chelsea’s search for a prolific striker continues, but interestingly, two familiar faces are currently leading the goalscoring charts in the Europa League. Romelu Lukaku, who is still technically contracted to Chelsea, has not played for the Premier League club since the 2021/22 season due to loan spells with Inter Milan and Roma.
Since joining Roma this season, Lukaku has been in scintillating form, scoring an impressive 16 goals in 30 appearances, including six goals in seven Europa League matches. In the recent 1-1 draw against Feyenoord, Lukaku added another goal to his tally, bringing his total to 26 in the competition. Remarkably, Lukaku has scored 17 goals in his last 18 Europa League appearances. This incredible feat has propelled him to third place in the competition’s all-time goal record, alongside former Athletic Bilbao star Aritz Aduriz.
Not only is Lukaku excelling in this season’s Europa League campaign, but he also shares the top spot in the goalscoring charts with Brighton’s Joao Pedro and former Chelsea striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. Aubameyang, who now plays for Marseille, recently joined Radamel Falcao as the joint-highest goalscorer in Europa League history with his 30th goal in a 2-2 draw against Shakhtar Donetsk. However, Aubameyang’s time at Chelsea was far from successful, as he only managed to score three goals in 21 games during the 2022/23 season. Both Aubameyang and Falcao fell victim to the infamous “Chelsea striker curse” and were eventually forced out of the club.
Meanwhile, Chelsea’s current first-choice striker, Nicolas Jackson, has had a decent season so far, scoring seven goals in the Premier League since joining the club in the summer. However, Cole Palmer, a former Manchester City player, has often been called upon to fill the void up front. Palmer has been involved in 16 of Chelsea’s 41 goals in the Premier League, highlighting his importance to the team.
As for Lukaku’s future at Chelsea, it remains uncertain. While there is a slim possibility of him reigniting his career at the club, recent interviews suggest that Lukaku may have burned bridges with Chelsea. The 30-year-old will return to west London this summer after his loan spell at Roma ends, leaving Chelsea with a big decision to make regarding his future. Given that Lukaku hasn’t played for the club in two years, it seems highly likely that he will be moved on. However, considering Chelsea’s need for a striker and Lukaku’s remarkable goal-scoring form, it wouldn’t hurt to give him another chance to impress.
In conclusion, while Chelsea continues its search for a prolific striker, two familiar faces are currently shining in the Europa League. Romelu Lukaku and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang have both found success in European football after leaving Chelsea. Lukaku’s impressive goal-scoring record for Roma and his place in the competition’s all-time goal record make him a strong candidate for a return to Stamford Bridge. As for Aubameyang, his struggles at Chelsea highlight the challenges of the “Chelsea striker curse.” Nevertheless, with Nicolas Jackson and Cole Palmer performing well for Chelsea, the team may find the solution they need without looking back at their former strikers.