Chelsea could be tempted to delve into the free agents market, with Nicolas Jackson and Marc Guiu both nursing injuries. The duo suffered knocks during the Blues' 2-1 win over West Ham a couple of weeks ago, and they're both expected to be out of action until at least April.
In the absence of a senior striker, Christopher Nkunku led the line during Chelsea's 2-1 defeat to Brighton in the FA Cup last weekend. The two sides will meet again on Friday night, this time in the Premier League, and Maresca has suggested he could reshuffle the pack.
Speaking to reporters ahead of the clash at the Amex Stadium, the Blues boss described Nkunku has an attacking midfielder and not a striker. He said: "I've said since day one that Christo is not a nine.
"Christo is an attacking midfielder. We use him as a nine to find a solution, but we know very good that Christo is not a proper nine," added Maresca. "Christo can be one of the solutions, but he's not the only solution. We will try to find different solutions.
"I've said it many times; I consider Christo a very important player since we started. The problem is they think they are only important if they play, if they don't play they don't feel like they are important. Now, also, with the transfer window closed, everyone is here. He can try and help us until the end."
Unless Maresca plans to operate a false-nine or promote Shim Mheuka from the academy, the Blues could be tempted to delve into the free agents market. So, with that being said, football.london has looked at the free agents Chelsea can sign in a last-ditch effort to cover Jackson and Guiu.
Diego Costa
Chelsea could bring back an old face and sign Diego Costa on a free transfer. The 36-year-old striker - who spent four-and-a-half years at Stamford Bridge - saw his contract at Gremio expire in January.
Last year, Costa featured 26 times for the Brazilian club across all competitions, scoring eight goals and providing five assists. While the former Blue wouldn't be quite as impactful as he once was, he would bring great experience, tenacity and steel to west London.
Mariano Diaz
Diaz has been without a club since July 2024 following the expiration of his contract at Sevilla. The 31-year-old striker is probably the best option on the free agents market - having previously played for Spanish giants Real Madrid and Olympique Lyonnais.
He was superb for Los Blancos' B team back in the day, securing himself a loan in the French top-flight. During the 2017/18 campaign, Diaz scored 18 goals in 34 Ligue 1 games and, upon his return to the Santiago Bernabeu, he was - albeit for only 12 months - given the iconic No.7 shirt.
Lucas Perez
Perez left Deportivo La Coruña last month due to family reasons - and he's without a club. While the exact details of his departure are unknown, Chelsea could offer the 36-year-old striker a route back into top-flight football.
Perez, who previously spent two years at Arsenal, has featured 19 times in the Spanish second division this season, scoring four goals and providing four assists. The former Gunner may not be the most attractive name, but he's one of the better options on the free agents market.
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