Chelsea: Four “types” to solve the striker problem when football returns

The return of football in England (and everywhere else) is still uncertain. However, two certainties is that it will, someday, return, and when it does Chelsea have a problem with their strikers.

Chelsea’s number one striker is, of course, Tammy Abraham. He is the best striking option at the club, has proven that he is a reliable starter, and he has the promise of being a future world class finisher.

Behind him are only question marks. Michy Batshuayi has so far proven that he just cannot cut it at the Premier League. He has always been a “form player” – he has to play a lot to be sharp and in shape. The catch-22 is that he hasn’t shown the flashes of form to demand more playing time.

Olivier Giroud started the season as third choice but has proved to be a solid option deputizing for Abraham. The problem is Giroud is 33 years old and he simply cannot be a leading man anymore, or maybe not even a backup.

Here are four “types” Chelsea could go for, and a player or two standing in for each.

1. The Big Name Man: Timo Werner

Even at just 24 years old, Timo Werner needs little introduction. He is arguably one of the best in Europe and not far away from being one of the best strikers in the world. The German leads the RB Leipzig line with aplomb, and while his form for Die Mannschaft has been spotty at times, there is little reason to question his ability.

His ability to finish is a massive asset, while his pace and determination to press opposing backlines will fit perfectly into Lampard’s system.

Werner, while he prefers an out-and-out striker role, has the ability to play across the front three. This means he and Tammy Abraham could play together in the same XI. That is a massive bonus, as Chelsea’s ability to create and drive at teams suffered considerably after the injury to Christian Pulisic.

The major sticking point with Werner is that, while he has hinted at England presenting a new and exciting challenge for him, those hints have nearly all been directed toward Liverpool. Liverpool are a tough rival to compete with when trying to sign a top player. But the Blues could offer Werner the chance to walk into the team whereas Liverpool would have to sell a player or juggle a front three, something Jurgen Klopp has been reluctant to do so far.

2. The Old Man: Edinson Cavani / Robert Lewandowski

Let’s start with the bad news: Messrs. Cavani and Lewandowski are both north of 30. The Uruguayan is a month or so removed from his 33rd birthday, while Lewandowski is a mere 31 years old – but will be 32 towards the end of August.

These are options the club historically loves. It is almost like Chelsea fill out the scouting report of elite strikers when they are in their hay-day, balk at the asking price and then five years later dust off the same old reports and fling them around to show the world.

Chelsea did this with Samuel Eto’o, Nicholas Anelka, Didier Drogba the second time, Andriy Shevchenko and Radamel Falcao. It is why they have been linked with Dries Mertens, as well.

These players bring a wealth of experience that would be a great learning opportunity for Tammy Abraham and the rest of the youth. These strikers, including Mertens, still have quality in abundance and they are an improvement on Giroud.

However, it would tie Chelsea to more over 30 contracts. These players may also not yet be at a point where they are willing to play second fiddle in a Chelsea team that is far from the elite in Europe.

3. The “Who?” Man: ???

Chelsea have a big network of scouts and eyes across the world so let us all just put our faith in Marina Granovskaia.

Let’s just hope it’s a better find that Papy Djilobodji…

4. The Forgotten Man: Luka Jovic

The Serbian former Eintracht Frankfurt striker has so far flopped at Real Madrid. The toast of Europe last summer, the 22 year old joined Los Blancos for a fee in the region of £50 million but has only scored two goals and one assist in 771 minutes of action across 24 appearances.

Real Madrid brought him in to challenge and usurp Karim Benzema, but it has backfired. Perhaps the Serb could be drawn to a change of scenery.

Jovic has shown he is a deadly finisher on his day, and while Real might have been a leap too high straight from Eintracht Frankfurt, Chelsea could provide him with that perfect upper middle club.

Much has also been made of the pressure that Real bring, and fitting into the club is no easy task.

He would come in as a direct challenge to Abraham, and that could spur both on to greater heights, potentially forming one of the best one-two punches Chelsea has had upfront in quite some time.