Chelsea set sights on two strikers in January as Mauricio Pochettino calls for more signings - Reports

Chelsea have registered an interest in Napoli forward Victor Osimhen and Brentford striker Ivan Toney, according to The Guardian. The Blues are intent on reinforcing their No. 9 department in the January transfer window.

Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino is set to be given a more prominent role in the club's transfer business as the Argentine tactician confirmed in a press conference on Friday.

He said (via The Guardian):

"The good thing is the relationship and communication is very good with the sporting directors and owners. When the transfer window was closed I said I need to be more involved now in all the decisions. I have started to work to identify what we need for January.”

The former Tottenham Hotspur manager added:

"Football is very dynamic and it is about the present always. Things can change until January. We need to work to recover Nkunku and Armando Broja to try to provide the team with more goals and become solid. But, of course, we have already started to work [on transfers].”

A move for Osimhen this January could very much be on the cards for Chelsea after the Nigerian striker's recent fallout with Napoli. The Serie A outfit posted a derogatory video on their official TikTok account mocking Osimhen for missing his penalty in their goalless draw against Bologna on 24 September.

Meanwhile, Ivan Toney has also been linked with an exit from Brentford. However, Chelsea will have to face competition from Arsenal, who are reportedly interested in the English forward as well.

"There’s only one" - Mauricio Pochettino hails Chelsea duo as 'best in the world'

Pochettino has lavished praise on Chelsea stars Ben Chilwell and Reece James. The Argentine manager insists that the English duo are among the best players in the world at the moment.

James has been sidelined for almost the entirety of the 2023/24 Premier League campaign after picking up a hamstring injury in the Blues' season opener against Liverpool back in August.

Chilwell, meanwhile, consistently featured for the west London outfit before colliding with Billy Gilmour in the side's EFL Cup encounter against Brighton, ruling him out of action for the next four weeks.

Ahead of Chelsea's encounter against Fulham on Monday night (2 October), Pochettino told reports (via the Daily Express):

"In all the clubs, important players you always miss when they don’t play. Of course we always miss top players. When they are at their best, of course they are some of the best in the world. All of the team, we miss some important players. There’s only one Reece James and one Ben Chilwell."

Regarding Chilwell's injury, the former PSG boss added:

“Bad news. The doctor said not a good thing, need to assess. But it doesn’t look good. It’s difficult to know now [how long he will be out for].”