Chelsea need another striker, they need a profile that they do not have – a more physical focal point up top. For me, that’s not even a debate. We need options, and we don’t have that option and in fact, haven’t had that option since Diego Costa. There’s no doubts for me that this type of striker should be non-negotiable this window.
SPTC sources understand that discussions are still happening internally over which striker to sign this summer, and they are still awaiting and looking at opportunities to arise.
Chelsea don’t want to pay bigger wages anymore for any player, so the reality is that probably rules out the likes of Ivan Toney etc. But it does make targets like Samu Omorodion from Atletico Madrid more viable.
SPTC sources have heard that Omorodion is a serious target for Chelsea this summer and they are hoping that Atletico lower their valuation for him, or push hard to sign Conor Gallagher so something can be done for both deals.
But we keep being told how much belief the club have in Nicolas Jackson, and we have also heard rave reviews about Marc Guiu, another new young striker we have just signed who is currently out with the first team on the USA tour.
Chelsea are undecided what to do with Guiu and Enzo Maresca wants to look at him closely during this tour. So he could still go out on loan.
However, if we have so much belief in Jackson and Guiu, would it not make much more sense to either go for perhaps an older and more experienced free agent or very cheap option, or bring a striker in on loan? That way there would no blockages for Jackson and/or Guiu.
Now I’ve just had a quick look at current striker free agents, and I don’t actually think there are any real options there that we should go for. But the point stands on what type of deal we should be pushing for. We should maybe look to loan in a striker, whether old or young. If young, then maybe put an option to buy in the deal like we did with Mateo Kovacic? It’s less risk, and quite often his parent club will fit some of the wages too. I’m sure we could find a suitable option to loan in.
My preference is established of course, and I am sure we can find a decent more proven and established option to bring in who doesn’t command big wages.
The free agents I mentioned earlier are:
- Kelechi Iheanacho (27)
- Anthony Martial (28)
- Memphis Depay (30)
- Wissam Ben Yedder (33)
- Oli McBurnie (28)
- Andy Delort (32)
- Mohamed Konate (26)
- Robin Quaison (30)
- Alexis Sanchez (35)
- Moussa Marega (33)
- Mario Balotelli (33)
Any of those take your fancy!?
My opinion is we should be signing a striker that comes in and improves what we already have. That’s a no brainer.
But in the thinking of the club and based on all we have heard about Jackson and Guiu etc, and the fact Omorodion is one of the top options we want now this summer, then I think it would be smarter to sign a striker who does not block Jackson/Guiu and is not just another young, raw, and unproven player. I must make it clear though this is never going to be MY preference. We ned to improve what we have.
A loan move would be the best option though in those circumstances mentioned above.
I’ll keep banging this drum.
Simon Phillips
