Colombian strike sensation tops Chelsea’s summer wishlist
Published:It is no secret that Chelsea will prioritise a move for a striker this summer, and it now appears that Radamel Falcao has replaced Edinson Cavani as their primary target.
Chelsea, who defeated Napoli 4-1 last night to make the Champions League quarter-finals, appear to have been deterred by the Italian club’s claims that they would not accept anything less than £100m for Cavani, and thus have turned their attentions to powerful forward Falcao.
The Colombian striker only joined his current club Atletico Madrid in the summer, costing a princely £35m when moving from Porto, and it is believed that there was interest from the Stamford Bridge club before that deal was finalised.
Falcao’s move has worked out well for him from a personal standpoint though, his seamless integration into the side highlighted by his impressive tally of 20 goals in all competitions so far.
However, his club Atletico Madrid currently sit eighth in La Liga, meaning they are in grave danger of missing out on Champions League qualification for next year, which could hinder their chances of holding on to an asset as key as Falcao.
Roberto Di Matteo’s installation as Chelsea boss meanwhile, has improved the club’s fortunes in the infancy of his reign, and with the Blues now looking good to challenge for a top four spot, as well as progressing to the Champions League last eight, a move to London could be a more attractive proposition for the Colombian this time round.
With Didier Drogba aged 34, and Fernando Torres continuing to struggle for goals, a striker has become even more of a priority for Chelsea, and owner Roman Abramovich would likely be willing to reimburse Atletico Madrid with the £35m they paid to obtain the 26-year-old’s services.
