Chelsea’s Homegrown Talent Could Outshine Potential Delap Signing

Nicolas Jackson’s goal drought has reignited discussions about Chelsea’s need for a new striker. While the club has been linked with Ipswich Town’s Liam Delap, they may already have a solution within their ranks.

Jackson, who joined Chelsea last summer, started the season well but has failed to score in his last 11 Premier League appearances. This lack of goals, combined with a dip in form from other attacking players like Cole Palmer, has left Chelsea struggling to find the back of the net in recent months.

Chelsea are reportedly considering a move for 21-year-old Delap, who has impressed this season with 12 goals in 31 Premier League appearances for Ipswich. The physically imposing forward could potentially address Chelsea’s scoring woes.

However, Chelsea may want to look closer to home before spending big on another striker. Their academy product Shumaira “Shim” Mheuka is showing great promise and could be the answer to their goalscoring problems.

The 17-year-old Mheuka, who joined Chelsea’s academy from Brighton in 2022, has been impressing at youth level. He’s scored 10 goals in 21 appearances across all youth competitions this season and has already made his senior debut.

Described as “Cobham’s finest” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Mheuka possesses excellent technical skills, agility, and finishing ability. His performances have earned him four senior appearances so far, totaling 73 minutes of first-team action.

If given the opportunity to develop, Mheuka could become the striker Chelsea needs in the coming years. This would not only save the club significant transfer fees but also provide a long-term solution to their goalscoring issues.

While it remains to be seen how quickly Mheuka can progress to regular first-team football, his potential suggests Chelsea may already have their future star striker within their ranks. The club will need to carefully consider their development plan for the young talent to maximize his potential impact on the senior squad.