Shades of Hazard: Chelsea plotting move to sign £39m-rated "entertainer"

It has been an interesting season in 2024/25 for Chelsea. They face a fight on their hands to secure a spot in the top five, and are still competing in the UEFA Conference League, a competition many expect them to win.

In the top flight, the west London side are one of the biggest underperformers when it comes to expected goals, highlighting an issue in front of goal. As per Understat, they have an expected goals tally of 64.83xG, but have actually managed just 56 goals, an underperformance by 8.83. There are only four top-flight sides with a bigger underperformance.

Thus, it might not be a surprise that the Blues are targeting a new attacker this summer.

The forward Chelsea want to sign this summer

It has been a theme in the last few years that Chelsea have signed players, and even a manager, from Brighton and Hove Albion. Well, this summer might be no different, given they are linked with Seagulls attacker Georginio Rutter.

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According to a report from Florian Plettenberg, Enzo Maresca’s side are thought to be ‘closely monitoring the development’ of Rutter down on the South Coast, and could make a move for him this summer, having ‘added him to their shortlist’.

The situation between the versatile attacker and the West London outfit has been described as ‘one to watch’ by Plettenberg, ahead of what will be a busy summer at Stamford Bridge.

He did not clarify a price, but Football Transfers value him at upwards of £39m.

Why Rutter would be a good signing for Chelsea

It has been an impressive season so far for Rutter in his debut campaign for the Seagulls. This term, he has eight goals and five assists across all competitions for Fabian Hurzeler’s side, including five in the Premier League.

In fact, the 22-year-old Frenchman, who is capped at under-21 level for his country, might certainly help with the expected goals deficit at Stamford Bridge. He is generally a lot more consistent this term, with 5.68xG, a 0.68 difference from his actual tally, as per Understat.

Another reason Chelsea fans can get excited about signing Rutter is the flair he brings as part of his game. Described as an “entertainer” by football analyst Ben Mattinson, the former Leeds United star is a tricky customer for most defenders, and oozes confidence in one-vs-one scenarios.

Indeed, it is not just that video that showcases how exciting Rutter can be with the ball at his feet, but the numbers from FBref are also there to back it up.

For example, the Seagulls’ number 14 averages 1.47 successful take-ons per game, ranking him in the top 9% of forwards across Europe over the last year.

There are certainly shades of Chelsea legend Eden Hazard in Rutter. At his peak, the former Blues winger was described as the “best player in the league” by Jamie Carragher, who said he “does things that others can’t do”.

The legendary Belgian attacker was phenomenal in a Chelsea shirt. He scored 110 goals and grabbed 87 assists in 352 games for the west Londoners, becoming one of the most exciting players to watch in the Premier League.

That was thanks to his fearlessness on the ball, all the tricks at his disposal and the ability he had to glide past players. As per Sofascore per game, he averaged 5.8 successful dribbles in 2017/18, his highest on record.

If Rutter – registered 24 goals and assists for Leeds last season – is even half as good as Hazard was for Chelsea, they will have a world-beater on their hands. He certainly comes with lots of the flair their former number ten possessed, and has that ability to beat players in one-vs-one scenarios.

At just 22 years of age, there is plenty of time for Rutter to develop, too. He is a player who can score, create and carry in an effective manner, just like Hazard did. He could be a player Chelsea fans fall in love with.

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