As the January transfer window inches closer, Chelsea’s sights will be set on reinforcements in various area’s of the pitch. Centre-defenders are an obvious place the club will be looking at with a likely hole at the back with the growing chances of Antonio Rudiger departure.
Cesar Azpilicueta, Thiago Silva and Andreas Christensen also all see their contracts run out at the end of the season. So, if extensions aren’t agreed Chelsea will need to think ahead of writing up their transfer list for January or even the summer.
It’s also been reported in the past that the club are looking to add another striker to the squad and you can see why. Only four goals this season in the Premier League have come from forwards, three from Romelu Lukaku and only the one from Timo Werner.
The club's top goalscorer this season has been Mason Mount with seven league goals. Although the modern game now demands players to be more flexible now it’s not fair to lay the sole responsibility on them. Take wing-back's Ben Chilwell and Reece James this season as an example.
They’ve been both attacking and defensive-minded this season, getting goals under their belt too. But strikers should be scoring, it’s literally their sole job description.
Speaking after Chelsea 1-1 draw with Everton this month on BT Sports, former Chelsea midfielder Glenn Hoddle spoke about the lack of centre-forward action in from the top three teams this season, “The strange thing is the top three teams in the last month or so, none of them are playing with a centre-forward.
“If you think about it, the top three…in English football it is a game… you would have never dreamed of that. Top three teams with no centre-forwards on the pitch”
So, whilst Chelsea will be looking at potential striker and centre-backs targets they should park that idea because there’s another priority for January. Chelsea could easily revamp their backline in Summer.
As for the striker rumours, do they really need to spend any more money on forwards after throwing the cash for them? A goalscoring midfielder would be the best of both worlds and rectify their mistake in signing Saul Niguez on loan from Atletico Madrid.
That loan hasn’t paid dividends yet and I’m not sure it will. Perhaps bringing Conor Gallagher from his loan in January could be an option in the absence of a goal drought from centre-forwards for Chelsea this season.
They’ve been flying in for Crystal Palace from Gallagher this season and he’s the type of player Chelsea could desperately make use of right now.
Should Chelsea recall Conor Gallagher from his loan in January? Follow our Carefree Chelsea team member Renuka on Twitter to get involved in the discussion and give us your thoughts in the comments section below.
