Reports from the Express in October did the round that Chelsea could go after Inter Milan’s striker Mauro Icardi in January for a possible £90m move and it was believed to be a top priority for the Blues. Maurizio Sarri took over the club when the transfer window was almost in its closing stages, and there was not enough time to bring in too many new signings. As a result, it is expected that the board would back their new manager in January.
A striker is the need of the hour for the Blues as both Alvaro Morata and Olivier Giroud have failed to come up with the goods. Even without his strikers firing, Sarri’s men have done well in the Premier League so far, and after the result against Manchester City, they have shown that they can beat anybody on their day.
With Inter Milan’s exit in the Champions League group stages, we believe a move in January for Icardi could now be on the cards. Chelsea are in desperate need of a goalscorer to take some burden of Eden Hazard in the attacking third and the Italian striker could be the best bet for Sarri.
In terms of predatory instincts inside the box, the 25-year-old is one of the best strikers in football at the moment. Given that he is still so young, one can expect him to hit another gear in the next one or two seasons.
Sarri might not show it openly, but it seems clear that he is frustrated with the performance of his current strikers. Alvaro Morata looks too soft on the ball as he can hardly play with his back against the defenders. His confidence always seems lost, and it is clear that the Spaniard has turned out to be a big money flop at Stamford Bridge.
Giroud has done a better job in terms of holding up play and linking up with team-mates but the Frenchman often lacks mobility and pace which Sarri requires from his striker. The manager had to use Eden Hazard as a false 9 in a few games, but in such a setup the Belgian sometimes becomes way too isolated.
Someone like Icardi can be a real game-changer for the Blues, and if Chelsea manages to strike a deal, they can certainly come out as a proper contender for the Premier League title if they don’t drift too far off from now until January. The Blues have done well to be even in the race without a striker who is firing on all or any cylinders, and the signing of Icardi can really elevate them to another level.
