According to a recent exclusive report by The Sun, Premier League giants Chelsea are said to be interested in acquiring the services of German international striker Luca Waldschmidt from Freiburg this summer, as Frank Lampard reportedly wants to add two new attackers to the Blues’ ranks. It has been clarified in the report that the Blues will open conversation with the Bundesliga club over a transfer and that a fee in the region of £20m is being suggested for the 23-year-old’s signature.
How Did Luca Waldschmidt First Make A Name For Himself?
The German began his footballing career with a couple of lower division German clubs, before being recognised as a potential talent and getting signed up by the Eintracht Frankfurt youth system all the way back in 2010. Having spent six years in Frankfurt, before they became the fearsome team they are today, the German went on to make just 17 first-team appearances, which included a goal and an assist. It was in the summer of 2016 that the attacker was sold to fellow Bundesliga outfit Hamburger SV.
A short two-year stint in Hamburg yielded three goals and four assists from 38 first-team appearances – a much more respectable number than the one he achieved at Frankfurt. After that, Waldschmidt made the switch to Freiburg in 2018, which fortunately has turned out to be the move that has defined the progress of his career. Now a regular in the Freiburg team, it’s perhaps not too shocking that some of the continent’s bigger clubs have begun to take note of his quality.
What Would Waldschmidt Bring To Stamford Bridge?
The German striker represented his country’s squad at the FIFA U21 World Cup in Italy last year, and since then Frank Lampard has become a stern admirer of his qualities. The Freiburg man finished the campaign as the leading goalscorer after he notched up seven goals in four outings – beating every other player by at least three goals in the race for the golden boot.
This season at Freiburg too, the striker has produced five goals and two assists from 15 Bundesliga appearances. The 23-year-old has even been capped by Germany at the international level, having donned the famous white kit three times since making his debut in 2019.
The attacker is said to be known for holding up the ball, and despite not being overly tall, the German does offer an excellent presence in the final third. Adept at holding defenders off and bringing teammates into the game, the Freiburg man has been compared to the likes of Lukasz Podolski as well as German legend Gerd Muller. Boasting a low centre of gravity, Waldschmidt doesn’t mind dropping deep to pick the ball up, and could hence be a good option for a youthful side like Chelsea.
Why Lampard Should Get This Deal Over The Line?
The Blues’ current striking options include Tammy Abraham, Michy Batshuayi and French World Cup winner Olivier Giroud. While Abraham’s future is very much secure, the other two aren’t necessarily going to be at Stamford Bridge come the start of next season. Signing a player of Waldschmidt’s youthfulness and overall quality does make sense for an aspiring team like Chelsea. Given the player’s attributes and skill-set, it’s perhaps not surprising that Lampard has identified the promising German as one for the future.
