The arrival of new boss Mauricio Pochettino and the outlandish spending of Todd Boehly and Co over the summer meant that some Chelsea fans came into the season with a small amount of hope that they might just be able to rebuild after the disaster that was 2022/23.
However, at the halfway point of their Premier League campaign, the Blues find themselves in tenth place, miles off the Champions League places and heading into their League Cup semi-final second leg against Middlesbrough 1-0 down.
Aside from Cole Palmer, it would be hard to call any of their summer transfers successes, and one in particular, Nicolas Jackson, could be set to lose his place as Inter Milan's Lautaro Martinez has been touted for a move to Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea transfer news – Lautaro Martinez
According to a report from Sports Lens earlier this week, Chelsea are interested in signing Inter's talismanic frontman, Martinez, in 2024.
The report has revealed that Arsenal are another party that have been monitoring the Argentine, and that while the Italian club are looking to tie their star down to a new deal as soon as possible, an offer in the region of £80m-£100m would be enough to turn some heads at the San Siro.
While it would undoubtedly represent another significant investment into the playing squad from Chelsea's ownership group, it would be worth it to sign a striker capable of finishing the impressive number of chances the Blues create – boasting the fourth-highest xG in the division.
How Lautaro Martinez compares to Nicolas Jackson
Martinez has long been looked at as a player who could go on to do great things, and over the last couple of years, he has well and truly established himself as one of Inter's most important players.
This impressive rise is not something that would have surprised talent scout Jacek Kulig, as he once described the 26-year-old as a "mix of Agüero & Falcao".
As a forward, there are few more flattering comparisons than that, as Agüero finished his career with 426 senior goals for club and country, while Falcao – who's still playing – has 307 club goals and 36 international goals to his name.
Jackson might be four years Martinez's junior, but with 168 senior goals to his name already, it is much easier to imagine the former Racing star reaching those levels than it is the Senegalese international.
That said, while comparisons to previous greats can be helpful, how do the pair's underlying numbers stack up to one another?
Well, in almost every meaningful metric, the "complete" Inter star, as described by Jacek Kulig, has his potential new teammate beaten. He scores more goals, takes more shots on target, produces more shot and goal-creating actions and even wins more aerial duels per 90.
Stats per 90
Martinez
Jackson
Non-Penalty Expected Goals
0.56
0.66
Non-Penalty Goals
0.94
0.43
Shots on Target
1.51
1.24
Goals per Shot on Target
0.63
0.35
Shot-Creating Actions
3.15
2.98
Goal Creating Actions
0.57
0.37
Successful Take-Ons
0.75
1.55
Aerial Duels Won
1.01
0.93
All Stats via FBref for the 2023/24 Domestic Season
Jackson only emerges victorious when it comes to successful dribbles, and he has a higher non-penalty expected goal and assists figure, which, while usually a good sign, only proves how profligate he is in front of goal for the Blues.
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Ultimately, if Chelsea want to salvage anything from this season, they'll need an elite striker, and there aren't many better than Martinez, so Pochettino should be doing all he can to force a move for his fellow countryman this month.