For the first time since 2004, Tammy Abraham is no longer a Chelsea player. The striker has completed his permanent move to Roma and the deal is now official. The Blues will receive £34 million for the 23-year-old and they have inserted a buyback in the sale. The contract’s buyback clause becomes active in the summer of 2023, when Chelsea can buy him back for £68 million if it so chooses. Abraham will finally get an extended opportunity to lead the line for a top European club with Jose Mourinho’s Roma—it’s hard not to get excited for the youngster.
Despite this feeling of happiness, there is a wave of sadness coming over Blues supporters at the same time. Abraham has been with the club since he was seven years old. He’s progressed through the ranks at Chelsea, growing as a player and making it all the way into the starting XI for the senior team. He’s a true blue through and through, but he no longer plays for the club. Even though his stint with the first team was relatively short, Abraham should be remembered fondly for his contributions for the Blues.
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New Roma striker Tammy Abraham was a top class player and professional during his time at Chelsea.
On the field, Abraham was known for making those around him better. A majority of his starts came under Frank Lampard’s management. When scoring his first goal for the club against Norwich City, Abraham immediately sprinted to the touchline to embrace his manager and thank him for rewarding all of his hard work with a start. It was apparent then that the English striker’s love for the club was unwavering.
Abraham made a total of 82 appearances across numerous competitions for the Blues. He went on to score 30 goals and rack up an additional 12 assists during his 4,500+ minutes with the first team. Abraham finished his maiden campaign with Chelsea as the team’s top league scorer. His 15 goals and four assists helped guide the Blues to a top four finish and ensure them a place in the Champions League. Chelsea later went on to win the UCL that Abraham helped guide it to, securing its place in the UEFA Super League, which the Blues also won. Those trophies are the ones Abraham won with his boyhood club and although he didn’t play a part in either final, Chelsea would not have gotten there without his contributions.
The striker’s on-field statistics are not all that define his career in west London though.
Abraham was a fantastic teammate throughout his time with the Blues, even when the going got tough for him on a personal level. It’s common nowadays to see players go public with their unhappiness as it relates to their standing within a squad. While not doing this should not be rewarded, Abraham’s behavior during the last seven months should be. It was clear to everyone familiar with the situation that Abraham wanted more playing time (what 23-year-old striker wouldn’t after being benched?), but nobody ever heard a peep from the player. Instead, what the public did hear was Abraham cheering on Timo Werner—the individual who took his place in the starting XI—from the stands and celebrating each and every goal.
This wasn’t all either, as Abraham still gave it his all in training according to Tuchel. He continued to back his teammates and help them improve in any way he could. The featured photo attached to this article is the perfect example of this. It’s a photo of Abraham embracing Hakim Ziyech after the Moroccan returned to action with the opening goal at Burnley. It’s no ordinary goal celebration, it’s the image of one player supporting his teammate who has struggled with injuries during his maiden campaign with the club. Fast forward to present day, who was the first person to race down the Stamford Bridge stands and congratulate Trevoh Chalobah on his first ever goal for Chelsea? You guessed it, Abraham, who was overcome with emotion for his young teammate.
Following the 3-0 win over Crystal Palace, the young striker did a lap around the Blues’ famous grounds to applaud all sides of the stadium for their tremendous support. It was a display of gratitude for those who have backed him time after time. Much like Romelu Lukaku, who recently returned to Chelsea after seven years away, it seems as if Abraham’s story in west London is still being written. The aforementioned buyback clause is a hopeful sign for those who also believe this.
No matter what the next chapter of Abraham’s career has in store for him, he will always be remembered fondly in SW6 and in the minds of Blues fans around the globe. Abraham is a special footballer—both on and off the pitch—and his undeniable love for Chelsea is something supporters always noticed. It’s not a permanent goodbye, rather a hopeful “see you later.” The Pride of London would like to wish Abraham good luck as he embarks on his next journey in Rome.
How will you remember Abraham as he moves onto the next chapter of his young career? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter!