Gabriel Agbonlahor discusses £65m player who was linked to Chelsea after tricky start to season

Add as preferred source on Google

Chelsea were linked with some top strikers during the summer transfer window but did not sign any of them in the end.

Victor Osimhen appeared to be their main target, with the club trying really hard to sign him on deadline day. Eventually, though, Chelsea decided to exit Osimhen talks.

Dominic Solanke was another centre-forward whom Chelsea were thought to have been interested in before his move to London rivals Tottenham Hotspur.

However, it was claimed that Solanke’s £65m price tag was too high for Chelsea. It has left just Nicolas Jackson and 18-year-old Marc Guiu as the only recognised centre-forward in the Blues’ squad.

• READ MORE: £65m Premier League player must be wishing Chelsea signed him instead this summer

Gabriel Agbonlahor on Dominic Solanke’s struggles

It has been a difficult start for Solanke at Tottenham. The 27-year-old was taken off in Spurs’ 2-1 win against Coventry City in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday.

He is yet to score a goal for his new club, and former Aston Villa forward Gabriel Agbonlahor thinks the Tottenham shirt is proving to be a bit heavy for him at the moment.

Speaking on talkSPORT, Agbonlahor said: “He looks like he’s… the shirt’s too big for him at the moment. Just remember what you did last season for Bournemouth, you were outstanding, think about the things you were doing last season.

“Holding the ball up, making runs, being strong, being aggressive, getting in the box because, he doesn’t want to be that player that you go two or three games without scoring.”

Bournemouth owner Bill Foley expected Solanke to stay at the Vitality Stadium, but the England international could not say no to a move to north London.

Will Chelsea regret not challenging Tottenham for Dominic Solanke’s signature?

In the end, Tottenham got a free run at Solanke. Chelsea finished the transfer window without signing an experienced centre-forward, but the club will not be crying over Solanke just yet.

Again, the club’s former academy graduate has made a slow start to this season, while a better striker could end up at Stamford Bridge at some point next year.

Chelsea have been scouting Viktor Gyokeres, for example. He was in incredible form for Sporting Lisbon last season, scoring 43 goals in 50 appearances.

If Chelsea can get someone like him or Osimhen, nothing needs to be said about Solanke, even if he starts performing in the Premier League again.