Can Alvaro Morata become one of Chelsea’s all-time top strikers?

Chelsea announced yesterday that they had agreed a deal with Real Madrid to sign their Spanish international striker Alvaro Morata.

With Diego Costa highly likely to be departing, as striker replacements go, Morata fits the bill and then some.

Despite not really settling anywhere for too long in his short career, the 24-year-old is a world class operator with 15 goals from just 27 appearances for Real last season.

Should things go well for him at Stamford Bridge, he could well be one of their very best strikers – and that particular list keeps quite the company.

We’ve put together Chelsea’s top five frontmen of the Premier League era:

5: Eidur Gudjohnsen

Maybe not the profilic goal-getter that his peers were, the Icelanic forward played at Stamford Bridge for six seasons, won two league titles and scored 78 times.

More of a ‘Number 10’ than a six-yard-box sniper, Gudjohnsen is still fondly remembered by Blues fans.

4: Diego Costa

It would be remiss of any writer to exclude Costa from this list. While the Brazilian-born Spaniard has had a tumultuous time at the Bridge, his contribution cannot be denied.

With 52 goals in just 89 appearances and two league titles to his name, he can leave the London club under the status: cult figure.

3: Jimmy-Floyd Hasselbaink

Before the era of Roman Abramovich, Chelsea were still bringing top strikers to the Premier League. They didn’t come more deadly than Dutch international, Jimmy-Floyd Hasselbaink.

With 87 goals in four seasons, the former Leeds United and Atletico Madrid number nine had a penchant for spectacular, net-bursting goals.

2: Gianfranco Zola

When we talk about Chelsea legends, there are few that spoken about in fan circles with the same love as Gianfranco Zola.

The little Italian magician was the darling of Stamford Bridge for seven seasons – the longest he spent at any club. His deft touch and mesmeric fleet of foot left some of the top defenders reeling on too many occasions to count.

With 59 goals in 229 appearances, he is a bona fide Chelsea icon.

1: Didier Drogba

Was it ever in any doubt? Signed from Marseille in 2004, the Ivorian would spend nine years in total at Stamford Bridge over two spells.

Remembered most for scoring the winning penalty in the Champions League final against Bayern Munich, he managed 104 goals in 230 appearances for the Blues.

Only fourth in the club’s all-time goalscorers’ list, it was the way he carried himself in and out of the famous colours that Chelsea fans will forever hold him dearest in their hearts.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing