A fantastic end to the 2020/2021 seasons saw Chelsea football club reach the pinnacle of club football and lift the Champions League trophy in Porto against their big spending rivals Manchester City. Although on the surface it may look as though the London club are sitting pretty but, they do have holes in areas of the field that could well do with improving in order for them to stand a chance at retaining their European success next season. One of these areas, and the area that we are highlighting today is the forward position. 12 months ago the Blues thought they had sorted the position when Russian billionaire Roman Abramovic splashed out over £100 million on German stars Timo Werner and Kai Hazertz from RB Leipzig and Bayern Leverkusen respectively. Although both stars were young and inexperienced in their new league, they did not live up to the high expectations put upon them when they signed in the summer. Although both flashed brillliance in spells, their overall goal scoring form was far from stellar. Timo Werner, who scored 28 goals in 34 league games the previous season in Germany only managed a measly 6 in the premier league this past term and Havertz, although not totally an out and out striker scored only 4 in 27. Chelsea will clearly not look to replace their new young stars but, they will need to add reinforcements to the position in order to elevate their play in the final third. With the likes on Mason Mount and American standout Christian Pulisic, the West London side are far from lacking creativity. So, Thomas Tuchels side just need an efficient gunman to finish off all those created chances.
One man, who has shone across Europe this season has been Norwegian star Erling Haaland from Broussard Dortmund. Scoring 41 goals in 41 games in all club competitions this past season. At only 20 years old, the young standout still (scarily) has room to improve and given time, will surely end up being one of the top 3-5 players in the world, if not already. With that being said, it makes sense that all the top clubs from around Europe will be calling Dortmund and his agent Mino Raiola in the hunt for the forwards signature. Striker hungry Chelsea are also one of these teams. One thing to consider when talking about a Haaland transfer is that he has a particular clause in his contract. This clause states that at the start of the 2022 summer transfer window, the young Norwegian powerhouse will be available for between €75-€100 million. Which is a bargain in the current market for a player of his age and ability. Tuchels side however, is void of a true striking talent this season and may look to negotiate with the Bavarian side this summer in order to land the player, but obviously at a much higher price. Luckily for the blues, they have a expert negotiator in Marina Granovskaia. But even the Russian football director would struggle to negotiate for anything under £120million and it has even been reported it may take as much as £150million to land the Dortmund star.
With all this being said, even though Haaland would be the best striker available for the Blues, they may need to look at alternative options as they may be priced out of a move for the Norwegian. They may also not want to pay such a large fee if they believe they have a strong chance at signing the youngster next season for a much cheaper fee. So now let’s look at 5 other options that Chelsea can explore to improve their offensive line and push for a Premier League trophy. I’d also like to quickly mention that not all of these players have necessarily been linked with Chelsea in recent weeks, I just feel as though the five options I’ve selected would make sense in coming to the blues and it would be a beneficial move for both parties. So please no hate, as this list was just compiled for a bit of fun and maybe a way to start a conversation. So let’s go!
1. Robert Lewandowski – Bayern Munich (age 32)
Now I’m starting this list off with a bang. The Polish star, in my opinion, has been the best player in the world in the past 24 months. Leading Bayern Munich to 2 Bundesliga titles and a Champions League trophy in that time, the talismanic star has played an outstanding role in getting his side to the top. Breaking legendary footballer Gerd Mullers record by scoring 41 league goals in a single season just demonstrates Lewandowskis desire to get the ball in the back of the net. This is a trait that Chelsea have been desperately looking for this past season. And with Tammy Abraham and Olivier Giroud apparently out the door at Stamford Bridge next season, they need someone to come in and compete with Werner and Havertz for the position. Pair his 41 goals with his 7 assists in 29 league games it makes for an unbelievable player that you can’t pass up the opportunity to get. And though it may seem as though Bayern have no reason to sell their star man, it would not be surprising if they gave in if a bid of £50+ million came in for the player who will be 33 by the time the new season starts up. It will be a win win for both teams. Bayern will get a large fee for a player who they will more than likely be unable to get anywhere near for in a few years time and Chelsea get a world class player to come in and fill a hole for two or three years while they search for their next young star. Lewandowski himself has not ruled out a move away stating ‘ I remain open minded. I am always curious to learn a new language, a new culture. But whether that be in football or after my career, even I don’t know’. So all I can say is, although it may appear unlikely, watch this space. His performances at the Euros may also bring spotlight to the players transfer speculation.
2. Memphis Depay – Lyon (age 27)
By the time you read this Depay could have already put pen to paper on a deal with Barcelona. But, I feel he could be a great addition to the Blues squad. Although not an out and out striker, Memphis Depay has all the traits that make for a good goal scorer. Physical and great on the ball. The Dutchman has the speed and dribbling ability to scare opposing defenders as he looks to take them on in both wide and central areas. Completing 2.4 dribbles and creating 2.7 key passes a game this past season shows he’s a creator as well as an attacker. Depay provided 12 assists in Ligue Un last season and scored 20 goals as well. Showing off one of the strongest aspects to his game. Now where I make the connection from Chelsea to Depay is the potential price tag. This is set at £0. This is because his contract has expired with current club Lyon. This would mean that the Blues could save massively in a transfer fee and look to spend big elsewhere in other positions of need, e.g defensive midfield. Many will remember Depay’s time in in the Premier League with top of the table rivals Manchester United. Back in 2015 the Netherlands international was signed from PSV with all the hopes that he will become United’s next Cristiano Ronaldo. But, the then 21 year old struggled to impress and scored a measly 2 league goals before being shipped off to France. In the 5 years since. Depay has transformed himself into an international superstar (his 10 million Instagram followers backs this up) and his desire to succeed in Europe has only greatened. So I feel that the Blues would be smart to enquire about the player and hopefully pluck him from under the nose of Barcelona just as PSG did with fellow countryman Gini Wijnaldum.
3. Alexander Isak – Real Sociedad (age 21)
Alexander Isak looks to have a breakout Euros with Sweden this month. And after impressing in his minutes on the pitch in his opening game versus Spain, he definitely looks to have turned a lot of heads. At 6ft3 the young Swede has an impressive muscular frame that he has managed to pair with his somewhat surprising speed and classy footwork. He can receive the ball to feet and also run in behind the defence with intelligent back shoulder runs. As a versatile striking option, he could add a lot to a goal scorer needy team. And at only 21 he can improve his game as well. Scoring 17 goals in 34 La Liga games for an underwhelming Sociedad side really raised the young stars transfer stock. Chelsea are team that have had players like Drogba, Abraham and Costa shine in previous years and Isak definitely fits the mould of big and physical player, but also has the ability to put the ball in the back of the net. With a reported transfer value of around 40-50 million pounds. It may be worth having a punt on the Swedish star and hoping that he can develop into a 20+ goal a season player in the most competitive league in Europe. another thing to note is that the Sociedad player once played for Haaland Dortmund and the German team have a 30million euro buyback on the player. So there could be an indication that if Chelsea do indeed go after the Norwegian, the Swede could be on his way back to Germany to play in front of the yellow wall.
4. Antoine Griezmann – Barcelona (age 30)
The France and Barcelona star is a one time Balon d’or 3rd place recipient and a 2016 European team of the season member. With such respected individual accolades as well as major trophies for club and country such as a World Cup winners medal with France and Super Cup with Athletico Madrid, it’s no surprise that back in 2019 Barcelona paid €120 million for the Frenchman. Since his transfer, Griezmann has somewhat underwhelmed in Catalonia. Scoring 22 goals in 71 games for Barcelona doesn’t quite reflect the price tag, even though the numbers themselves aren’t that bad. Griezmann has the technical ability to shine in both wide areas and as a central striker. And at 30 years of age, he still has a lot of energy left in the tank to provide some much needed quality to any team that can pay for his services. Although only bought in 2019 for an astronomical fee, Barcelona may look to sell on the Frenchman as the club are in somewhat of a financial crisis. They need to raise funds to repay back debts and Antoine might be on the firing line and Barca are never afraid to pull the trigger. With all of their financial woes, the Spanish club have not been afraid to bring in new players this summer. After already bringing in Argentine legend Sergio Aguero and, a deal for Memphis Depay looking to be completed in coming days they aren’t afraid to improve up front. And with that many attackers on the book, adding to the likes of Messi, Dembele and Ansu Fati, there may not be a place in Ronald Koeman’s squad for Griezmann. Though the Frenchman has not had the life in his new Spanish home that he would have hoped, he may find a new, and more exciting home in West London. Barcelona look to be willing to make a massive loss on the Frenchman and Chelsea may be able to get a player of such high quality with years of playing left in him for as little as £50million. Pairing the French World Cup star with the likes of Mason Mount and Kai Havertz could make for some scary watching come August.
Cristiano Ronaldo – Juventus (age 36)
Now I know this seems like the most unlikely option of the lot, and I agree it’s somewhat a farce. But this seemingly nonsensical opinion does actually have a smidge of logic with it. The 5 time Balon d’or winner looks to have ended his time with Italy and is looking for a new challenge in what appears to be the twilight of his career. PSG seems to be the most likely destination but I’m not sure that the likes of Ronaldo, Neymar and Mbappe can coexist in a team that is already laden with star power. Manchester United is another option for the Portuguese super star but with United’s past transfer history. I wouldn’t expect them to be able to negotiate for the ex Old Trafford legend (I’m happy to be proven wrong). So could we see a shock move to Chelsea? The Blues have the funds to bring him in (50 million is the fee reported), and they will be able to get a return on his astronomical wages by way of advertising and shirt sales (you’d best believe I’ll be buying a shirt if he moves to Chelsea!). Ronaldo has already experienced the Premier League and has stated his love for the competitiveness of the league, and the allure of a city like London can only help add to the CR7 brand. Back to football though, and what Ronaldo can still bring to a club, even at 36 is evident. He scored 29 goals in 33 Serie A games for Juventus this past season and achieved a 7.57 whoscored rating across all competitions, which is an elite score amongst European strikers. This is higher that the likes of stars Romelu Lukaku and Luis Suarez. He shone in a somewhat dull affair in Portugal’s opening game in the Euros against Hungary, where he put the ball in the back of the net twice. This goes to show that even in games where he may be ‘under performing’ he can be the difference maker at any point. Chelsea are crying out for a player up front of CR7s quality. You know what to do Roman!
Forgotten Footballers 