Rumours have been suggesting that Thomas Tuchel wants to find a backup striker to Romelu Lukaku in January. Here are three potential solutions that Chelsea could look at the provide that added bit of quality.
As is always
the case, strength and depth are the driving forces behind sustainable success.
Couple this with the elite managerial ability and you have the perfect recipe
for challenging domestically and internationally for every possible trophy.
This has been
the way Chelsea have opted to do things over the past two decades, but the key
to that has always been a collection of squad players who, when selected, can
provide that cutting edge to push the side over the line. This often coalesces
in the form of a second striker who can come off the bench with an instant
impact.
Olivier Giroud most recently
was that player for Chelsea. Not only was he, and continues to be, clinical in
front of goal, but stylistically his qualities allowed Chelsea to switch stance
and play a more direct style of football.
However, the list of second strikers at Chelsea in the last
fifteen years has been remarkable. Demba Ba, Loic Remy, Samuel Eto’o, Michy
Batshuayi, and to some extent Fernando Torres and Nicolas Anelka too. These
players have been catalytic in Chelsea’s long term success with almost every
player in this list owning a major moment in a Chelsea season.
Yet, with the sale of Olivier
Giroud to Serie A leaders AC Milan, Chelsea are left without a player
in what is clearly a key role in the side. Kai Havertz, whilst being an
exceptionally talented young player, is yet to find consistent form in front of
goal. Romelu Lukaku will occupy the central striker role, but when he is
missing due to injury or Chelsea need to rotate, a quality second striker is needed.
Manchester United are the envy
of the Premier League when it comes to this position. Edinson Cavani is without
doubt the most perfect second striker in
the league. A player who understands his role in the side is to not always
start, but conceivably quite easily could. His finishing is simply
extraordinary and he is a focal point for a changing dynamic when he enters the
pitch.
Thomas Tuchel, Marina
Granovskaia, and Chelsea need to find their own Edinson Cavani in order to
sustain an assault on every competition and to reduce the burden on Romelu
Lukaku. Also, competition for places is healthy and might provide Lukaku with a
bit of pressure that could see his performances return to their peak.
Duvan Zapata has been truly
exceptional for Gian Piero Gasperini’s Atalanta since joining the club in 2018.
The Colombian international has registered a staggering 109 G/A’s in 143 games
for the La Dea, and at 30 years of age, is not slowing down. Zapata already has
12 G/A’s in 13 appearances so far this season.
Standing at 6’2ft with an
ability to act as both the creator and goal scorer, Zapata’s profile seems to
tick all the boxes. If he were to make a switch to Chelsea, it would be under
the assumption that he would not be a guaranteed starter, but would provide
ample competition for Lukaku and would hugely benefit the team when on the
pitch.
However, being a regular
starter for an exciting Atalanta team that often feature in the Champions
League, it might be tricky to convince Duvan Zapata to leave North Italy for
West London.
Wout Weghorst has been one of
the most underrated strikers in Europe over the last two seasons. His
consistently excellent performances for Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga have seen
him be welcomed into the Dutch national team, and he was central to Wolfsburg’s
Champions League qualification last season.
The 29-year-old Dutch striker
joined Wolfsburg following a productive stint at AZ Alkmaar where he managed to
rack up an impressive 58 G/A’s in 86 appearances. This form has continued at
the Volkswagen Arena, where he has 89 G/A’s in 132 games.
Standing at close to 6’5ft, the
physicality of the Premier League would not be of concern. Additionally,
Wolfsburg is in somewhat of a crisis at current, and a move to the European
Champions could be an enticing prospect. Despite his importance to his team,
his age profile and Wolfsburg’s need to generate some income post-pandemic
could see Chelsea pick him up for a fairly decent price.
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