Michael Owen believes Chelsea must locate a new striker above any other position in the January transfer window.
Speaking on Premier League Productions, Owen noted the centre-forward role as the main area that is lacking in Graham Potter’s squad.
Whilst almost every slot in the side has at least two or three options, the main through the middle is down to one at the moment.
Armando Broja’s season-ending injury means Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is the only recognised senior front man stationed at Cobham right now.
Chelsea jump into the January transfer window
Chelsea have added reinforcements to this role in the form of 20-year-old David Datro Fofana.
Fofana will officially join the Premier League side on January 1st, following his move from Norwegian outfit Molde.
Before Broja’s devasting injury, Potter might have considered throwing Fofana in with the Under-21s, to get him climatised to the English game.
However, in light of the latest circumstances, a space in the first-team will be available for the Ivory Coast international to fill.
Yet, despite the latest attacking rival, Owen still suggested Chelsea might need one more recruit to really sure up their forward force.
“They’ve never really had a centre-forward have they for a while. It’s often said in the footballing circles that that centre forward spot, that number nine for Chelsea is a graveyard position. It’s a difficult one to fill since the likes of Drogba many, many years ago,” said the ex-Ballon d’Or winner.
“There’s been some incredible, expensive signings in that Chelsea team and not many can’t hit it off, (Romelu) Lukaku probably being the latest one.
“So now, despite all those hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of millions they’ve spent, they are not even playing with a striker. In fact, they’ve hardly even got a striker a club and the only striker they really have is injured, and he was on loan at Southampton last year.
“I think if you had to say one, then it would probably be a centre forward. But I can see them spending plenty, I could see them potentially buying Declan Rice in the summer.”
Chelsea looking beyond January transfer window
Summer is a long way off, and Chelsea need to focus on the now, but this doesn’t mean Todd Boehly isn’t already planning for the future.
Christopher Nkunku will head to Cobham at the end of the season, whilst deals for the likes of Rice, Jude Bellingham and others might be bubbling in the pipeline.
Boehly may also be forced to wait until the campaign’s conclusion to sign Enzo Fernandez from Benfica.
Chelsea’s owner wants the midfielder next month, yet Benfica understandably are intent on holding out, as they too require his services for the rest of the term.
It might simply come down to how much Boehly is willing to spend on Fernandez now rather than later.
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