According to reports from The Express on Tuesday evening, Chelsea are ‘set to start spending again’ with a January swoop for Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette.
What’s the word?
Did Chelsea strengthen well enough this summer?
The Express, along with The Daily Star and The Metro, claim Jose Mourinho will look to arrest the poor start to Chelsea’s Premier League title defence with a January bid for Lyon front-man Lacazette, Ligue 1’s top scorer last term who attracted interest from Arsenal and Liverpool during the summer, having recently voiced concerns over the club’s limited transfer activity.
The Blues missed out on some key targets over the summer – namely Everton’s John Stones, Juventus star Paul Pogba and PSG defender Marquinhos – but still spent £66million, the fourth most of any Premier League club.
How good is he?
Top scorers across Europe’s five leading top flights for 2014/15
Perhaps not a member of world football’s striking elite but it’s hard to argue with award-winning form. Indeed, the France international’s league haul of 27 goals was only bettered by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo throughout Europe’s five leading top flights last season, ensuring him a second consecutive slot in the Ligue 1 Team of the Year and the division’s Player of the Year award.
However, many doubt whether the 24 year-old can sustain that proficiency long term and early season form, netting just once in six outings thus far, suggests he probably can’t. Whilst Lacazette certainly suits Liverpool’s model of young, promising players just outside or on the fringes of the Champions League, Chelsea can probably attract a more experienced and better proven striker for a similar price.
Do Chelsea really need him?
In a nutshell, not particularly. Lacazette offers versatility, having begun his Lyon career as a winger before proving incredibly potent in central roles, but the Blues already have three talented centre-forwards jostling for a single position in Loic Remy, Radamel Falcao and Diego Costa, whilst they’re hardly short on widemen after signing Barcelona star Pedro in August.
Perhaps the Blues could move for the Frenchman next summer, should they decide not to sign Falcao permanently from Monaco, but a change-up in January doesn’t seem worth the hassle. The Blues biggest failings this term have been in other areas – particularly the defence.
It’s a similar case with Liverpool who, for better or worse, spent around £40million on Christian Benteke and Danny Ings this summer, adding to a strike-force that already included Divock Origi and Daniel Sturridge.
Arsenal, on the other hand, have a more obvious need for another centre-forward. Olivier Giroud and Theo Walcott have managed just three Premier League strikes between them this term, with the Gunners’ other two league goals both being own goals, courtesy of Crystal Palace’s Damian Delaney and Newcastle’s Fabricio Coloccini.
How reliable is the story?
Whenever the hyperbolic three are involved (The Express, The Metro and The Star), not to mention original source Fichajes, gaping holes in the story always emerge; the most obvious in this case being that Lacazette signed a new contract in August after months and months of speculation over his future.
Having been valued at a whopping £40million by Lyon boss Hubert Fournier during the summer, one can only imagine what the Les Gones would demand now that the forward is tied down to Stade de Gerland until 2019. The Daily Star allege around £25million, but that figure seems devoid of any rationale and plucked from thin air.
Combine that with Chelsea’s lack of immediate need for another striker and Lacazette’s poor start to the campaign, and this story reeks to high heaven of grade A baloney.
Also in the news this week:
Chelsea to beat Spurs to 6 foot 2 battering ram with £20m bid
Liverpool line up January swoop for Primeira Liga prodigy
Man United disappoint six clubs by holding onto youngster
Arsenal record breaker set for summer exit?
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