Chelsea look set to miss out on prime target Erling Haaland this summer, so who can they sign instead?
The Blues were, and perhaps still are, determined to land the Borussia Dortmund superstar this summer, but it looks as though Haaland does not want a move to Stamford Bridge.
It was reported on Wednesday that Haaland wants a move to an 'absolutely top club' and that he does not feel Chelsea fall into that category.
So, where does that leave Chelsea's transfer plans? With Thomas Tuchel and Marina Granovskaia reportedly feeling another striker is needed, who can they consider instead?
We take a look at four options below.
Karim Benzema
This is an interesting possibility that could only feasibly come about if Haaland wound up signing for Real Madrid.
The La Liga giants are one of the few teams who could afford the Norwegian, and they are very much a 'top club,' fitting the criteria, so it's possible Los Blancos could win the race, even if they are not favourites.
Real Madrid typically play with one striker, so Haaland's arrival could spell the end for Benzema at Real Madrid, despite impressing again this season with 12 goals so far in La Liga.
Benzema is 33, so he would only be a temporary fix, but the Frenchman has shown he is still able to perform at the top-level, and he could be available for a very affordable price with just one year remaining on his contract after this season.
The caveat is that he almost certainly will not be available if Haaland goes somewhere other than the Santiago Bernabeu.
Romelu Lukaku
This one might split opinion, and it would require Chelsea to swallow their pride having sold Lukaku in 2014.
The 27-year-old has gone on to have a good career, spending time at Everton and Manchester United before joining Inter Milan on a deal worth more than £75million in 2019.
He has continued to impress in Serie A and has scored 18 goals in league competition, only second to Cristiano Ronaldo.
With a return of 41 goals in 59 Serie A games for Inter, Lukaku is clearly a top striker and someone worth considering, even if he would likely cost an arm and a leg.
The Belgian still has a soft spot for Chelsea, too, recently saying on Twitter: "Nothing but love (for Chelsea). They gave me an opportunity to come to the Premier League as a kid."
Wout Weghorst
Coming away from the very top bracket, Weghorst could prove a shrewd signing for Chelsea.
The 28-year-old has been a reliable goalscorer for Wolfsburg in recent years and has already netted 14 times this season in Bundesliga, sitting just three goals behind Haaland.
Weghorst can hold up play, get beyond the lines, score goals and he could prove very affordable for Chelsea, valued at around £27million.
Though, with another two years left on his deal after this season, Wolfsburg could play hardball, especially if there is interest from elsewhere.
Gerard Moreno
Another player nearing the top of the goal-scoring charts in his league is Villarreal frontman Moreno.
The Spain international, who is left-footed, has scored 14 times in 20 La Liga appearances so far this term, sitting in third in the race for top scorer, behind only Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez.
Spain's leading scorer has been excellent since his return to Villarreal, scoring 40 times in 89 games, and he has been just as impressive in Europe, scoring twice and assisting once in five Europa League games so far this season.
Moreno, who is likely to lead the line for Spain at Euro 2020 this summer, has bags of pace and he is able to hold the ball up and drop deep in a false nine role to create play. He has even been deployed as a narrow winger at times this season under Unai Emery.
Moreno has a contract until 2023 and it's not clear how high his release clause is.
