Various reports suggest that Chelsea have been eyeing Sampdoria forward Luis Muriel. The striker has been in a sublime form this season and Chelsea would want him as a backup for Diego Costa after Batshuayi has failed to impress the manager.
However, it seems that the player would cost Chelsea a lot as Sampdoria president Massimo Ferrero has declared that he will only leave the talented forward if an offer of more than 30 million pounds comes his way. The Blues are facing stiff competition from Italian side Napoli, who are also keeping tabs on him.
Muriel has found the back of the net 4 times this season and has also bagged 3 assists. He has also scored 2 goals in Coppa Italia. The Columbian looks to be in fine form and Chelsea are plotting a move for him this January. However, it is still unsure if Chelsea will cough up Muriel’s release clause of £30.9 million.
The 25-year-old forward is in his prime at the moment and it would be the perfect time to get the best out of him. Chelsea have the league’s top goal scorer in Diego Costa but the Blues don’t have the perfect replacement for the Spaniard. The need increases two-fold as there are rumours of Costa struggling with a groin injury.
Although Chelsea brought in Michy Batshuayi this summer for 33 million pounds, the Belgian has hardly shown glimpses of the same quality.
Muriel first burst onto the scene in the Columbian league and his first real chance came when Udinese bought him in 2010 from Columbian club Deportivo Cali for 1.50 million euros. Since then he has gained experience in the likes of Granada and Lecce, where he was on loan. He was also on loan to Sampdoria too before making a final move in the summer of 2015.
Muriel could be deadly up front for his sprint speed, which is something Diego Costa lacks. His passing needs improvement though and he has to get much better in defending if he wants to flourish in Premier League. His composure on the ball and the ability to dribble past opponents are commendable and always causes problems at opponent’s half.
Once dubbed as the Colombian Ronaldo de Lima, Muriel has had problems in the past with his weight but has resurrected his career at Sampdoria. If he continues the way he doing at the moment, he’ll once again be on everyone’s radar like he was a few seasons ago whilst at Udinese.
He could be a real prized asset for Chelsea who are looking to forget their previous season and challenge for the title this time. Their string of wins has taken them up to 2nd in the League table.
