4 strikers Chelsea should target this summer to compete for the title next season

Everton FC v Chelsea FC - Premier League
Everton FC v Chelsea FC - Premier League

There is no doubt that the only thing Chelsea Football Club lacked this season, apart from consistency, is an explosive striker who could score 15+ goals in a season.

Mind you, Chelsea do not need an Aguero or Salah, because it is a proven fact that every other outfield Chelsea player can score a minimum average of 3-4 goals every season, which makes the team good on the offense.

In the ongoing season, Morata has been let off to Atletico Madrid on loan, where the striker would probably stay even beyond this summer due to the buyout clause. Olivier Giroud is not Sarri's most trusted man in the Premier League, and new signing Gonzalo Higuain is not exactly the kind of striker Chelsea need right now, and hence is failing to impress.

What Chelsea need right now is some fresh young legs on the pitch, who can run the channels, get behind the opposition defense and be hungry for goals, exactly how Diego Costa was when he arrived in 2014, and the Spanish international was a terror to defenders all over the Premier League and Europe.

The Blues surely might be missing Diego Costa, but he has been long gone now, and it is high time the club must move on and look for another Diego Costa for next season. Here are our top picks who the club should target this summer, so that they are realistic contenders for the Premier League next season.


#4 Moussa Dembele (Lyon)

FC Barcelona v Olympique Lyonnais - UEFA Champions League Round of 16: Second Leg
FC Barcelona v Olympique Lyonnais - UEFA Champions League Round of 16: Second Leg

The 22 year old is definitely one of the hits in the Ligue 1 this season, after his arrival from Celtic at the beginning of this season, having scored 19 goals and provided 5 assists for Olympique Lyon in all competitions.

Though it is unlikely that Lyon would be willing to let go of the Frenchman just one year after he has joined the club, it is not usual for a club of Chelsea's standard to come knocking on the door for a striker.

Dembele's style of play is somewhat similar to Chelsea legend Didier Drogba, and to connect the dots, Drogba also joined the Blues in 2004 from the Ligue 1 when the club was undergoing an overhaul.

If Lyon are to let go of Dembele, it is definitely going to cost Chelsea more than the €22 million that Lyon themselves paid last year to acquire the services of the player.

(Statistics: Transfermarkt)

Also see : Fantasy Premier League , Fantasy Premier League Tips, EPL Transfer News

#3 Raul Jimenez (Wolverhampton/Benfica)

Wolverhampton Wanderers v Manchester United - FA Cup Quarter Final
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Manchester United - FA Cup Quarter Final

The Mexican International on loan from Benfica to Wolves has taken the Premier League by storm this season, by helping his club to the 7th position in the Premier League and his recent exploit being scoring against Manchester United to eliminate them from the FA Cup, to book a semi-final spot.

The 27 year old has good experience of the Premier League, and has proven that he can handle the physicality of the league, and still manage to score some exceptional goals for his club.

He has 12 goals and 7 assists in the Premier League alone, and an additional 3 goals in the FA Cup, this season.

Jimenez's loan tenure ends with this season, and then the striker is supposed to return to his original club, Benfica. Chelsea might just negotiate some deal with Benfica to land the striker as he would be one of the perfect signings in that position for the club.

Also, Chelsea has bought some really good players from Benfica over the course of the last decade in the likes of David Luiz, Nemanja Matic and Ramires, so the club is used to dealing with the Portuguese club over negotiations.

(Statistics: Transfermarkt)

#2 Edinson Cavani (PSG)

Red Star Belgrade v Paris Saint-Germain - UEFA Champions League Group C
Red Star Belgrade v Paris Saint-Germain - UEFA Champions League Group C

The development of the player roles of Neymar and Mbappe in the last 2 seasons has definitely reduced the importance of Uruguayan striker Edinson Cavani at Paris Saint-Germain, and what is more important is that the player is aware of the same.

The 32 year old might be ageing, but is exactly the kind of a striker Chelsea need at the moment, and even if he serves the club for 2 years, he has proven in his career that he can be worth it.

What is really interesting piece of trivia, is that due to the presence of Neymar and Mbappe, and the injuries Cavani has faced this season, the striker has only played 27 games for the club this season in all competitions, but has 22 goals and 8 assists in that little game time he has received.

These statistics at the age of 32 might just raise the eyebrows of any Chelsea fan.

Cavani might just play a Diego Costa of 2014 if Chelsea actually are to win the Premier League the next season.

(Statistics: Transfermarkt)

#1 Luka Jovic (Eintracht Frankfurt/Benfica)

FC Internazionale v Eintracht Frankfurt - UEFA Europa League Round of 16: Second Leg
FC Internazionale v Eintracht Frankfurt - UEFA Europa League Round of 16: Second Leg

There is no doubt Chelsea should go all guns blazing in the transfer market at the end of this season for Serbian Luka Jovic.

The 21 year old striker at Eintracht Frankfurt, on loan from SL Benfica, has been a revelation in the German Bundesliga for his club, scoring 22 goals and providing 7 assists in all competitions this season.

He was key to Frankfurt eliminating Inter Milan in the Europa League Round of 16 last week, as he caused problems for the Inter defense all through the 180 minutes in both the legs played between the two teams.

What is interesting is that if Chelsea are realistically looking at Jovic as an important target, they will have to deal with the fact that Eintracht Frankfurt have a buyout clause in the loan deal for the Serbian which they will exercise without a doubt.

This means Chelsea will have to empty their pockets for Jovic, but the striker has surely looked as worth the money, all this season in the Bundesliga as well as Europe.

(Statistics: Transfermarkt)

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