As reported by West London Sport, Jose Mourinho has claimed he’ll not be buying any more striking reinforcements following Diego Costa’s injury, insisting he has enough in both Loic Remy and Radamel Falcao in reserve.
While the Chelsea manager has to say this of course, some of our Blues regulars are slightly concerned that their club just simply aren’t the same prospect without Costa in their starting eleven.
We saw in the Community Shield defeat to Arsenal that both Remy and Falcao lack the killer instinct that Costa possesses, despite all of the players still regaining their fitness in pre-season of course.
Dispelling the myth that big money striking reinforcements flop at Stamford Bridge, Diego Costa started last season like a train but given his temperament and injury troubles, Blues fans know they could have to get used to the Spanish international being out of the team on several occasions this term.
The full expectation is that the Blues will move for Baba Rahman and possibly Everton’s John Stones to conclude their summer transfer business but to appease the Chelsea supporters in the tavern, we’re discussing some of the strikers who are still available and could do a job for Jose Mourinho.
With available strikers running out and fast, here are five to give Mourinho some food for thought before the closure of the window on September 1st.
And lets be honest, Jose Mourinho has gone back on his word plenty of times in the past hasn’t he?
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Click on the image below to reveal the 5 strikers Chelsea should sign to partner with Diego Costa.
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Charlie Austin
Although the report was written some way back on July 5th, Eurosport suggested QPR’s Charlie Austin was resisting overtures from elsewhere in the hope of holding out on a summer move to Chelsea.
While this could be rubbish, the fact we haven’t witnessed any concrete interest in the uncapped England ace does seem rather strange considering he bagged 18 goals in his first ever Premier League season last term.
While Danny Ings secured a move to Liverpool early on, it’s strange that nobody has firmed up their interest in Austin and with the assists from the likes of Cesc Fabregas and Oscar, he’d receive even more chances to score in a team like Chelsea.
QPR fans will of course be hoping that the fact it’s gone quiet on the Austin front has something to do with the fact he’s willing to battle on in the Championship with the R’s while achieveing an automatic return to the top flight.
However, we think with England ambitions at stake, it’s in Austin’s best interests to secure a transfer this summer.
Gonzalo Higuain
Of all the strikers still reportedly categorised as being available this summer, Gonzalo Higuain is still one of the standout names on the list.
Deespite enduring a nightmare of a last 18 months having lost both the World Cup and Copa America Finals with Argentina, Higuain is still a lethal marksman at club level with his total goal haul at Napoli reading 35 strikes in 69 Serie A appearances.
Working under Mourinho at Real Madrid of course, Higuain is a player the Portuguese boss admires and back on June 8th, The Mirror went with the bold claims that the Blues were readying a £30 million bid for his services.
With Napoli notorious for playing hardball in regards to wanting ridiculous fees for their players, perhaps Chelsea would have to top that figure.
Saido Berahino
Another striker who is still at his current club despite his obvious potential is Saido Berahino who in all fairness has been linked far more often with Tottenham this summer transfer window.
The West Bromwich Albion man shone against the Blues in the penultimate fixture of last season in which the England Under-21 international bagged a brace against Chelsea who were already on their holidays after scooping the title.
Still just 22-years-old, Berahino is now a somewhat experienced player in the Premier League and is only set to get better.
While most fans would claim he is better suited staying at Albion while furthering his education there, Berahino would be a perfect back-up option for the likes of Chelsea where he wouldn’t be expected to start while learning from those ahead of him.
Fernando Llorente
A player who is set for a late summer transfer window move away from his current club is Juventus’ Fernando Llorente who is firmly behind Paulo Dybala, Mario Mandzukic and Alvaro Morata in Massimiliano Allegri’s pecking order right now.
Linked more with Arsenal than any other team, our resident Gooners had been groaning at the link, claiming that Llorente is just another Olivier Giroud, not to mention the fact he is now 30-years-old.
Standing at 6 ft 5 in, Llorente is a target man in every sense and with Jose Mourinho having gone for this type in the past, we wonder whether he could do a job for Chelsea.
If both Falcao and Remy flatter to deceive in the opening weeks of the season, perhaps the Blues may be forced into a panic purchase and we just wonder whether the Spaniard could be that.
Lionel Messi
Okay, maybe this is stupid but who hasn’t dreamed about this man spearheading their team’s attack…
