Report: Chelsea tried to sign ‘terrific’ attacker from London rival on loan earlier this month

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Chelsea reportedly made an offer to West Ham United for Michail Antonio as they attempted to combat their injury problems.

According to the Guardian, the Stamford Bridge chain of command enquired about signing the striker on loan this month, due to the number of absent attackers in Graham Potter’s squad.

During the World Cup, Potter lost Armando Broja for the rest of the season after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament in a friendly against Aston Villa.

In the third game after the tournament in Qatar concluded, two more forwards were forced off the field of play.

Chelsea’s injury issues

Both Raheem Sterling and Christian Pulisic departed the Stamford Bridge surface against Manchester City at the start of the month because of injury.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was substituted off after being substituted, a change Potter blamed on the 33-year-old ‘fatiguing’.

Aubameyang has not played since that game, a sign that he might be on his way out in the summer or in January.

Chelsea have filled various holes in the front line through the arrivals of David Datro Fofana from Molde and Atletico Madrid’s Joao Felix on loan.

But Felix will feel like a fresh injury.

The 23-year-old’s promising debut ended prematurely with a red card against Fulham.

Potter could do with another traditional number nine in his squad to really firm up his misfiring players.

Marcus Thuram continues to be linked, but might come at a cost that the Blues might want to avoid following the major deal for Mykhailo Mudryk.

Hence why Chelsea apparently asked West Ham to let Antonio join them on the cheap.

Chelsea have made a move for Michail Antonio

David Moyes seemingly did not want to lend the 32-year-old to their London rivals, despite his bit part as a Hammer this season.

Antonio has started just eight Premier League games in 2022/23, largely due to Gianluca Scamacca’s summer move from Sassuolo.

Scamacca has pretty much replaced the man who Moyes used to rely on so heavily.

The Irons boss described Antonio as ‘terrific’ after he won the September 2021 Player of the Month award.

How the mighty have fallen…