Reports are emerging that suggest Chelsea will look to sign a striker in January after losing patience with Alvaro Morata. The potential replacements include stellar names such as Inter Milan’s Mauro Icardi and AC Milan’s Patrick Cutrone. Robert Lewandowski would also be a target.
It appears that Chelsea are still wedded to the idea of needing a genuine focal point of a number 9 as their striker in the mould of Drogba or Costa.
Big target men such as Alvaro Morata, Michy Batshuayi, Fernando Torres and Olivier Giroud, to an extent, have not brought a great deal to the team in recent years.
Perhaps it is time for the Blues to look at a different type of striker; a smaller, quicker, more technically gifted player. Lorenzo Insigne was one such player during Maurizio Sarri’s tenure at Napoli. Given that Chelsea are modelling their style on Sarri’s Napoli side, they would be wiser to choose a striker who suits the fast and technical style of play rather than a target man more suited to the Chelsea style of old.
There are players out there who would be able to play this role. They would also command smaller fees than the marquee number 9’s mentioned above. The absolute ideal option would be Juventus’ Paulo Dybala. He would be a more natural fit to play alongside Eden Hazard, Pedro and Willian.
Other choices would include Timo Werner of RB Leipzig or even Memphis Depay, who is scoring freely in the false 9 position for Lyon.
The team’s style is changing. So should the style of striker.
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