Chelsea are looking the direction of at least four strikers
to choose from in order to boost Thomas Tuchel’s squad this summer.
In their hunt for a new forward, Chelsea continue to be
linked with a host of big names, but which would suit the Blues best.
After their success in reaching the Champions League
semi-final, and with an FA Cup semi-final on the horizon this weekend, there’s
a real possibility that Thomas Tuchel’s impressive start to life at Stamford
Bridge could still yet end with some silverware.
Yet
despite this, the wheels are already in motion for next season, and it seems as
though bringing in a new forward who can add greater firepower to the Blues’
attack is one of this summer’s key objectives.
As a result, there’s been a
number of big names linked to Stamford Bridge in recent weeks, these include
Borussia Dortmund’s Erling Haaland, Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero,
Tottenham’s Harry Kane and Juventus’ Paulo Dybala.
But from those big names
linked, who would actually represent a good piece of business for the Blues and
therefore be worth perusing?
Erling
Haaland
You’ve
most likely been living under a rock if you haven’t noticed the regularity in
which Haaland has been linked with a move to the Premier League in recent
months.
Despite
his young age, 20, the Norwegian has already established himself as one of
Europe’s biggest names thanks to a remarkable first 12 months with Borussia
Dortmund in which he scored 49 goals in 49 games, as well as racking up a
further 11 assists.
Even
this season and despite a recent barren spell, by his standards at least, of
seven games without a goal, he’s still registered a very impressive 42 goal
contributions across all competitions.
In
terms of an all-around package, the youngster has it all. He’s fast, powerful,
accurate and knows how to get himself into the best scoring locations.
Yet
it’s worth noting that his profile is that of a traditional No.9, and notably, Tuchel has
opted to avoid playing a centre-forward at all in recent matches, despite the
likes of Olivier Giroud, Tammy Abraham and Timo Werner being available for
selection.
It’s
not clear whether his decision to play without a recognised striker is because
he doesn’t rate the players available, or due to the fact he enjoys the fluid
and dynamic attack formed by the likes of Mason Mount, Kai Havertz and
Christian Pulisic instead, however, Haaland’s arrival would disrupt that.
His
ability would most likely make it worthwhile, yet there’s no
guarantee Chelsea would have both the funds or the pull to see off
the other European powerhouses interested in the Norwegian star, therefore it’d
be foolish for them to put all their eggs in this one basket.
NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE,
ENGLAND – APRIL 04: Harry Kane of Tottenham Hotspur during the Premier League
match between Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur at St. James Park on April
4, 2021 in Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom. Sporting stadiums around the UK
remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government
social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being
played behind closed doors. (Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images)
Harry Kane
It’d prove to be the story of
the summer if Chelsea could somehow prize Kane away from Tottenham, yet,
rumours do continue to gather momentum linking the two.
The 27-year-old still has three years left on his current deal,
as a result, his signature wouldn’t come cheap, yet Chelsea might see him as a
player worth the outlay, specifically given the impact he could have on their
attack should he arrive.
Obviously, his goalscoring record is almost unrivalled by any
player across the Premier League and he’s netted a remarkable 162 Premier
League goals in just six and a bit seasons.
Yet, he’s pulled another rabbit out of the hat this season by
adapting from a predominantly out and out goalscorer to also a creator for
teammates around him.
He’s done this by no longer focusing solely on finishing moves
but also now looking to drop into deeper zones of the pitch, picking up the
ball and then acting like his team’s advanced playmaker.
This is interesting from a Chelsea perspective given the
brilliant attackers who’d be around Kane. You could quite easily foresee the
likes of Mount benefiting from the England captain’s movement and passing range
in the same way Son Heung-min has for Spurs throughout the season.
He might be older than Haaland, but his appeal is clear and it’d
be a great move for Chelsea if they could get a deal over the line, especially
considering that it’d significantly weaken a direct league rival.
Sergio Aguero
Over his decade in the North
West, Aguero has highlighted himself as one of the most lethal finishers the
Premier League has ever seen. This point is captured by the fact that his
strike rate of 108.23 minutes per goal since the start of the 2011/12 season is
the best of any player during that time.
Not just a great goalscorer, but he’ll also depart from the
Etihad a serial winner having scooped up four Premier League titles, the FA Cup
and five League Cups, a haul he’s sure to add to between now and the end of the
season.
The fact that he’ll be available for free in the summer makes
him extremely appealing from a Chelsea perspective. Tuchel will have eyes on
challenging for the Premier League next season, and perhaps he” see Aguero as a
proven winner who can provide a good short-term boost to his side’s attack.
Despite turning 33 this year, he remains as sharp as ever and
his 16 league goals last season averaged out a very impressive 0.92 goals per
90.
However, his general availability for selection has started to
rapidly decline in these twilight years of his career as a result of recurring
injuries and subsequent fitness issues.
His combined total of 1951 league minutes across this season and
the last is fewer than he managed in the 2018/19 campaign alone. Therefore, any
deal offered would have to take into account the possibility that he might not
be available for selection each week.
Paulo
Dybala
Dybala
was back to his best again last season, netting 17 goals and a further 11
assists in just over 3000 minutes of competitive action.
However
this season he’s found the back of the net on just four occasions after missing
most of the season trying to recover from various injuries and COVID-19.
This
poor season has coincided with the 27-year-old edging towards the final year of
his contract in Turin, and it’s not yet clear whether the Old Lady intends to
offer him an extension. This opens the door for Chelsea to swoop in for the
Argentine this summer, and he’d certainly bring another dimension to the Blues’
forward line.
The
Juventus forward has a goal record that speaks for itself, yet it’s his
versatility and ability to play multiple roles across the attack that gives him
an added layer of appeal from a Chelsea point of view.
Tuchel
knows he could use him as a centre-forward, wide attacker or attacking
midfielder and he’d continue to contribute in terms of both scoring and
creating goals.
If
Chelsea were satisfied that his fitness issues were only a one-off this season,
then he’s a player certainly worth bringing to Stamford Bridge ahead of next
season.
No comments