Chelsea target £87m-rated striker to solve goal-scoring crisis as Mauricio Pochettino identifies solution

Chelsea have added Swedish forward Viktor Gyokeres, tipped to be the next Zlatan Ibrahimovic, to the list of potential strikers they could sign in January after manager Mauricio Pohettino admitted they might have to look at the transfer window to try and find solutions to their goal-scoring problems.

The Sporting Lisbon striker has bagged 15 goals in 18 matches for the Portuguese side this season after joining them from Coventry City last summer. LondonWorld sources say the 25-year-old has an £87million release clause. 

The interest in Gyokeres raises questions about the long-term future of both Armando Broja and Conor Gallagher who have been linked with an exit if the right bid were to come arrive.

Pochettino admitted he was looking forward to speaking with Chelsea's sporting directors after they lost 2-0 to Everton over the weekend. He told reporters after the game: "If we are not capable today with all the chances that we had — we need to score if we want to be in a different position in the table. If we are not aggressive enough, maybe we need to do something, some movement. That is something to analyse with the sporting directors and the owners and see what we can do to change this dynamic and change in the second part of the season." 

The Blues have also been linked with Brentford's Ivan Toney, who is the same height as Gyokeres and newly-crowned Africa Best Player of the Year, Victor Osimhen at Napoli. All are expected to cost close to £100m so any purchase might be dependent on exit. Conor Gallagher was put up for sale last summer and they could cash in on him to fund the new striker as well as Ian Maatsen who turned down a chance to move to Burnley on transfer deadline day but has since barely featured.