Chelsea manager Antonio Conte is reportedly keeping a tab on Sampdoria forward- Luis Muriel and it is understood that the wants to bring him to the club next summer.
The Colombian has been in fine form this season, scoring 6 times in 14 appearances for his club. A start which has apparently caught the eye of the former Italian boss. But Conte wants to see whether the forward can retain his current from till in the end of the season before making concrete advances for the player.
And as per the current norm, Muriel has been dubbed as the ‘Columbian Ronaldo’ as his playing style has similar traits to the Brazilian legend. The 25-year old has a 24 million buyout clause in his current contract which is unlikely to hinder Chelsea’s interest, if concrete, in him.
Muriel started off at Udinese where he was considered a hot prospect and mesmerised the fans with his brand of football. In fact, he was linked to Manchester United at that point of time as well. But unfortunately, he could not maintain his performance levels which led to the interest in him dwindling.
He was then sold to Sampdoria in 2015 and the move seems to have worked in his favour as he has made remarkable improvement since joining the club. He looks to be at his very best once again and as a result, his name has started appearing in the transfer pages once again.
Muriel has been a key player for Sampdoria this season and looks to be the focal point of his team’s attack. The Colombian’s composure and the ability to be at the right place at the right time is one of the main highlights of his game as Conte looks to add quality and depth to his forward line. The Colombian is clever with the ball at his feet, can skip past challenges and has the desire and hunger needed to thrive in English football.
Chelsea are scoring a lot of goals this season with Diego Costa topping the goalscoring charts with 12 goals so far. They look on course to be back in Europe next season and Conte doesn’t want to waste any time as he continues to rebuild his squad.
The addition of the Colombian can give Chelsea options upfront and provide cover for the Spaniard. Conte who has played a 3-5-2 and 4-2-4 in the past will also have the chance to deploy the same with two strikers in times of need.
There is competition for places and the 25-year has to produce something special to remain in Conte’s radar until the end of the season.
