With Chelsea reportedly near signing Samu Omorodion from Atlético Madrid, we take a more in-depth have a look at the 20-year-old striker.
For almost all of the 2023-24 season, Chelsea struggled for objectives.
A late-season enchancment in type in the end noticed them outperform their anticipated objectives (xG) by 1.7 (77 objectives from 75.3 xG), however it wasn’t all the time the case that objectives flowed simply. At first of February, Mauricio Pochettino’s males have been underperforming by 6.7 objectives (36 objectives from 42.7 xG).
That enchancment in type noticed them end in a decent sixth place having spent a big chunk of the season within the backside half of the desk, however there was little denying that Chelsea headed into the summer season needing to have a look at the striker market.
Nicolas Jackson was signed from Villarreal final summer season and confirmed some promise, hitting 14 objectives in 35 Premier League video games, although he did underperform his xG complete of 18.6.
Chelsea have been linked with strikes for a few of Europe’s prime strikers in current weeks, together with Napoli’s Victor Osimhen, however it appears that evidently they’ve as soon as once more turned to Spain for a promising teen.
Samu Omorodion is reportedly near arriving in a deal value round £35 million from Atlético Madrid, with Conor Gallagher going the opposite approach in a similarly-priced settlement. Like Jackson, there will likely be hope that Omorodion can take the promise he confirmed in La Liga and develop additional on English soil.
Omorodion – who stands at 6-foot-4 – has by no means performed for Atlético, signed final August following his aim in opposition to Diego Simeone’s aspect for Granada on Matchday 1 of the 2023-24 season earlier than instantly being loaned to Alavés.
The 20-year-old scored eight objectives in his first 22 La Liga appearances for Alavés, the third-highest tally for an Alavés participant at that stage of the season within the competitors for the reason that flip of the century.
He didn’t discover the online once more past 10 February, ending the marketing campaign with eight objectives in 34 video games for Alavés, and 9 in 35 in La Liga general together with his solitary aim and look for Granada on MD1. Which may not appear to be that many, however Omorodion solely began 22 of these video games, and averaged 0.4 objectives per 90 minutes.
He underperformed his xG by 2.5, suggesting the inevitable room for enchancment in a striker of his age.
He’s now on the Paris 2024 Olympics representing Spain, having made 4 appearances (one begin) and scoring as soon as, within the 2-1 group-stage defeat to Egypt.
So, what kind of participant is Omorodion and can he go well with Chelsea, who have to strengthen up entrance, particularly if as anticipated Armando Broja and David Datro Fofana exit this summer season?
Properly, he’s a striker who predominantly featured in a 4-2-3-1 at Alavés, however he may take a while to get used to taking part in in new supervisor Enzo Maresca’s favoured possession-heavy fashion.
Chelsea averaged 59.0% possession within the Premier League in 2023-24, whereas Maresca’s Leicester Metropolis averaged 62.3% within the Championship.
Alavés had the bottom common possession share in La Liga final season (40.6%), although they have been inventive every time that they had the ball. Luis García’s males averaged extra photographs per sport (12.24) than 9 different groups, together with Athletic Membership (12.18) and Actual Sociedad (12.13), who each certified for the Europa League.
That was in no small half right down to Omorodion, who averaged 3.0 photographs per 90 in La Liga. Of gamers from golf equipment outdoors of Actual Madrid, Barcelona and Atlético Madrid who began a minimum of 15 La Liga video games, solely Cyle Larin, Mason Greenwood and Omorodion’s Alavés teammate Kike Garcia averaged extra.
He has the tempo to get into advantageous positions to get on the top of these probabilities, whereas given his top, he can be a menace within the air. Solely six forwards who began a minimum of 15 video games in La Liga final season competed in additional aerial duels, and no Chelsea participant who featured in a minimum of 12 video games gained greater than Omorodion’s 2.8 aerial duels per 90 minutes.
He ranked within the prime 15 in La Liga for flick-ons (41) final season, although solely 9 of these discovered teammates. Jackson tried 28 flick-ons for Chelsea within the league – greater than twice as many as every other Blues participant – with 12 of these profitable.
With Jackson and a fit-again Christopher Nkunku, it might appear possible Omorodion might want to wait his flip at Stamford Bridge. He’ll virtually definitely be primarily used from the bench, however how does he examine to his new teammates?
Taking a look at his warmth map subsequent to Jackson’s, it’s notably notable that almost all of Omorodion’s touches both got here near the midway line in the proper channel or in the midst of the penalty space, whereas Jackson’s have been predominantly central and out of doors the field, suggesting the Senegal worldwide will get extra concerned within the build-up whereas Omorodion is extra fascinated about ending strikes. It may simply be a sign of the huge distinction in how Alavés and Chelsea performed final season, although.
Nkunku suffered harm points in his debut marketing campaign at Stamford Bridge, which means he solely made 11 Premier League appearances in 2023-24, however unsurprisingly the previous RB Leipzig ahead stood out in his few showings. Nkunku averaged 3.3 photographs per 90 and 0.6 objectives, in comparison with Omorodion’s 3.0 photographs and 0.4 objectives per 90, whereas Jackson averaged 2.6 photographs and 0.5 objectives per 90.
Nkunku (18.8%) and Jackson (17.5%) additionally bettered Omorodion’s shot conversion charge of 13.4%, and whereas the Spain worldwide created extra probabilities from open play (0.8 per 90) than the Frenchman (0.6), Jackson was extra inventive than each (1.2).
It’s additionally value asking how he in comparison with Leicester’s strikers from final season, as that might give a greater indication of what Maresca needs from his frontmen.
Maresca’s Foxes ultimately secured the Championship title whereas usually utilizing the evergreen Jamie Vardy up prime, in addition to Kelechi Iheanacho, Patson Daka and Tom Cannon.
Omorodion averaged 32.1 touches per 90 minutes for Alavés, with 5.5 touches within the opposition field and 0.5 possession wins within the closing third per 90. That latter stat is similar to Daka and solely barely fewer than Vardy and Iheanacho (each 0.6 per 90).
Every of Leicester’s striker choices averaged a minimum of as many as Omorodion’s 3.0 photographs per 90, whereas all 4 averaged between 5 and 6 touches within the opposition field per 90 minutes, with Iheanacho (51.6) the one one to common greater than 37 touches per 90. It due to this fact appears on the face of it as if Omorodion already produces near what Maresca expects from his strikers, doing so in a prime league and with loads of room to develop additional at his age.
Trying on the Opta Participant Radars, it’s attention-grabbing to see the strikers Omorodion most intently compares to in Europe’s prime 5 leagues.
Le Havre’s Mohamed Bayo is the closest participant to him, however the third-closest is none aside from Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski, whereas it’s arguably much more attention-grabbing that the subsequent closest is Alexander Sørloth, who has simply joined Omorodion’s soon-to-be former membership Atlético.
With Sørloth arriving in addition to Julián Álvarez in a big-money transfer from Manchester Metropolis, Atlético are reluctantly permitting Omorodion to maneuver to Chelsea.
Their loss could possibly be the Premier League large’s achieve as Chelsea proceed to usher in gamers they see as one of the best and brightest younger prospects within the sport.
Chelsea signal loads of gamers, and plenty of barely have an opportunity to make a primary impression not to mention a long-lasting one. Omorodion seems to have the potential to make his mark in west London although, and Maresca will hope he can present the firepower now and sooner or later to take the membership to the subsequent stage.
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