Three ways Chelsea could line up with Joao Pedro and Jamie Gittens in new-look attack | OneFootball

Blues are closing in on a double deal to bolster Enzo Maresca’s options across in the forward department

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Gittens won't be able to play with Chelsea at the Club World Cup, where the Blues are through to the quarter-finals, having already played in the competition for parent club Borussia Dortmund.

The English winger will, however, join up with the Chelsea squad for pre-season after the Blues agreed on a fee in excess of £55m.

With striker Liam Delap already through the doors at Chelsea, Pedro and Gittens arrive as part of a new-look attack for Enzo Maresca's side.

Play Pedro through the middle

Pedro has built a reputation as a combustible but talented forward after scoring 30 goals in 70 appearances across a two-year spell at Brighton.

The 23-year-old's affrontive nature, he was handed a red card against Brentford in April for lashing out at Nathan Collins off the ball, mirrors the temperament of out-of-favour Chelsea forward Nicolas Jackson, who's received two red cards in his last two games for the Blues.

But unlike Jackson, Pedro is considered a reliable goalscorer and will likely take the place of want-away forward Christopher Nkunku, competing for minutes at centre-forward alongside Delap, a £30m arrival from Ipswich Town.

Where Delap is a more traditional forward, Pedro offers versatility and is more akin to a false nine due to his propensity to get involved in build-up play.

Whilst Delap averaged just 9.1 passes per game according to Fbref last season, albeit for a struggling Ipswich side. Pedro managed 22.3 passes per game, a significant increase on Delap, which speaks to his technical proficiency.

Pedro's ability to drop deep in search of the ball will help Chelsea's wingers push forward and provide Maresca with some much-needed versatility at the tip of Chelsea’s attack. He could even play off Delap if Maresca looks to play with two strikers.

Gittens can play on both wings

Whilst predominantly a left winger, Gittens can also play from the right-hand side and has even, on occasion, played through the middle.

He enjoyed a breakout campaign with Borussia Dortmund last season, scoring 12 goals and providing five assists in all competitions. The 20-year-old was outlined as Chelsea's main target to replace Jadon Sancho, who returned to Manchester United after a season-long loan.

Gittens is still something of an unknown quantity, but Chelsea will have been encouraged by his impressive performances in last season’s Champions League - the Blues return to Europe’s premier cup competition for the first time since 2023.

Versatile: Jamie Gittens

Getty Images

Gittens’s versatility will also help him in what is shaping up to be a fiercely competitive battle for minutes out wide.

Pedro can provide cover at left wing

Due to not being an out-and-out centre forward, Pedro is able to provide cover on the flanks, not that Chelsea are short of options in that department.

Pedro is a superb dribbler of the ball and has the ability to beat a man, often starting wide before drifting inside to provide support for Danny Welbeck during his time at Brighton.

He was an apt deputy when Kaoru Mitoma was struggling with injury, and with Chelsea competing on four fronts this season, his versatility could prove important.

The exact makeup of Chelsea’s frontline next season is unclear, with several players marked to leave and Chelsea always in the market for new additions.

In Pedro and Gittens, though, they have two versatile, young forwards who will, if nothing else, get the best out of Chelsea’s current crop of attacking talent.