Serie A striker’s stunning form puts Chelsea back on red alert
Published:Chelsea’s well-documented problems up-front could be solved in this summer’s transfer window if they step up their efforts to sign Napoli ace Gonzalo Higuain.
The Argentine striker took his goal tally to 24 goals in all competitions after he opened the scoring in his side’s recent 1-1 draw against Genoa with manager Jose Mourinho a long-time admirer of the player he managed at Real Madrid.
And that strike was the former Los Blancos star’s fourth in his last five games in a hot streak that has no doubt served to re-inforce the belief at Stamford Bridge that Higuain could be the missing piece in the jigsaw.
Chelsea were rebuffed when they attempted to land their man in January when Napoli reportedly turned down an offer of £50m for their prize asset.
However, given Gil Azzurri’s failure to mount a serious title challenge and reach the Champions League knock-out stage, the striker’s head could be turned should The Pensioners come calling again.
The Premier League side have made no secret about their hunt for a top-quality striker to fill the void left by Didier Drogba’s departure to Galatasaray.
The 35-year-old Ivorian hasn’t ruled out a possible return to Stamford Bridge but any reunion would purely be a stop-gap measure.
And Mourinho’s latest off-the-record gaffe in an interview recorded by French broadcaster Canal Plus has left little doubt as to what he thinks is the weak area of his squad.
The Portuguese was quoted as saying: “The problem at Chelsea is that we are lacking a goalscorer. I have one [Samuel Eto’o] but he is 32, possibly 35, who knows?”
Aside from disparaging and potentially offensive, these latest remarks pinpoint the manager’s recruitment objectives this summer.
Ahead of their Champions League last 16 first-leg against Galatasaray the Blues are currently priced at evens to win in Istanbul with odds of 11/1 for them to lift the trophy.
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