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Among the players going out of contract at the end of the season, Edinson Cavani is certainly one of the bigger names. Having signed for PSG in the 2013-14 season, he has been relentless in front of goal for the Parisians. In spite of being in the shadow of his more dominant teammates like Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the beginning followed by Neymar and Kylian Mbappé now, he has delivered a return of 199 goals and 41 assists in 299 games for the club.
For a player who has had a supporting role in the team in terms of stature, that is staggering. The arrival of Mauro Icardi on loan from Inter has led to Cavani spending a lot more time on the bench this season. With 6 goals and 1 assist in less than 800 minutes of football, El Matador has shown how lethal he is even at the age of 33. Therefore, it would surprise no one to see a few clubs looking to bring him in on a short-term deal for his last hurrah.
Atlético Madrid
The departure of Antoine Griezmann to FC Barcelona was always going to be difficult to compensate for. The acquisition of João Félix for €126 million was thought to be a step in the right direction since the Portuguese talent was one of the most sought-after players in the world. A commanding 7-3 victory over Real Madrid in pre-season was a positive sign for the season ahead. Instead, an injury to Diego Costa has left them short of options up front as the others have failed to contribute. Alvaro Morata is Atlético's top-scorer with 10 goals to his name and we're already in February. This has reflected on the league table with Simeone's men in 4th position, scoring a paltry 25 goals in 24 games. They're only 3 points clear of Real Sociedad who are 8th.
Cavani rejected a deadline day move to Barcelona in the winter transfer window because he believed that a transfer to Atlético would materialise. The move did not happen and he has carried on professionally, with Thomas Tuchel praising his focus after the failed move. It is safe to assume that the Rojiblancos will be back in for the Uruguayan. He would be a good fit for Simeone's model while Félix is readied as the next leader in attack.
Chelsea
The appointment of Frank Lampard was seen as a shrewd one by observers as the transfer ban would allow him to blood youngsters without any pressure of delivering immediate success. Chelsea's academy has consistently won youth tournaments and Lampard was seen as the right choice to bring them through.
The Blues started the season brightly, playing an enterprising brand of football which was in part due to the energy and drive of the younger players. While they have tailed off since, Chelsea are still 4th on the table and well in contention for the final Champions League spot. One of the success stories has been the rise of Tammy Abraham. He has led the line superbly, contributing 15 goals and 6 assists this season already.
However, for a club which aims to challenge on all fronts, it would be irresponsible to depend on a 22-year old with 1 season as a starter for the club. With Giroud out of contract at the end of the season, signing Cavani on a free transfer would allow Lampard to add experience to his side while reducing the burden on Abraham. It would also allow him to hone his craft under a true master and improve even further.
Unlike Falcao and Higuain, Cavani has had no major injury or niggling fitness issues. He is still quick and physically strong. He would have little problem in adapting to the Premier League and succeed at the Bridge.
Manchester United
On paper, Manchester United have exciting young talent in attack. Marcus Rashford was well on his way to a first 30-goal season of his career whereas Anthony Martial is a household name already. Even Greenwood at 18 has already scored 10 goals this season.
However, Rashford's stupendous performances have come mainly from the left hand side and then drifting in. Greenwood is only in his first season as a professional. Martial, who has been given the opportunity to lead the line this season has contributed to 12 goals and 5 assists. There is a feeling that he must do more and this return isn't enough.
With Rashford on the left and Greenwood not ready, the experienced Cavani would be an interesting addition to this lineup. He would guarantee goals and take some of the goalscoring burden off Rashford. The latter has had the privilege of learning from the likes of Wayne Rooney and Ibrahimovic early on in his career. Greenwood would surely benefit from a similar mentor at this stage.
There is a caveat of qualifying for the Champions League since it is difficult to foresee Cavani agreeing to play in the Europa League for the final big move in his career.
