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Erling Haaland proved his mettle once again as he had a stellar campaign this year. As they say, the best attracts the best, and Haaland has been touted for a move away from the Bundesliga.
The Premier League triumphed once again in Europe last season as Chelsea and Manchester City made it to the final of the Champions League. The Blues came out on top following a very close fight. It was thanks to a Kai Havertz strike in the 42nd minute that granted Thomas Tuchel his first-ever UCL trophy just four months into his stint in London.
The German was appointed as Chelsea manager in January following the sacking of Frank Lampard. Tuchel steadied the ship at Stamford Bridge, managed to fire the boys up in Europe, and also led them to secure a place in the top-four of the EPL table.
Following that success, the tactician will be looking to get his team ready for the upcoming campaign. It all begins with making the necessary additions to the squad during the summer transfer window and the Blues have been linked with a host of superstars. One player whose name has gained the most attention so far is Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland.
It is an open secret that Haaland is on the radar of many big teams across the continent. The striker enjoyed a prolific campaign in the Bundesliga last season, bagging 27 goals and eight assists for the BVB in 28 appearances. He also finished as the top scorer in the Champions League with 10 goals, which gives a lot of insight into why he has become a hot property.
Thomas Tuchel has a decent connection with Dortmund, having served as their manager between 2015 and 2017. As reliable sources continue linking the Blues with a swoop for the striker this summer, it is possible that something is building up. The question, however, is: Is Erling Haaland the right choice for the Blues?
Erling Haaland to Chelsea: weighing up the two sides
It goes without saying that the Norwegian would be a huge asset for Chelsea. He is, without doubt, one of the finest forwards on the planet right now. He beat all the famous names in Europe to win the Champions League golden Shoe last season and finished the campaign with a massive 41 goals and 12 assists for the German giants across all competitions.
Chelsea's offensive stats were really poor last term. Timo Werner flopped terribly with just 12 goals to his name from 52 appearances. The likes of Kai Havertz, Hakim Ziyech and Christian Pulisic didn't impress either. That's one reason why signing Erling Haaland would make sense. The striker is a reliable figure up front and he is guaranteed to bang in the goals.
A big-game player and supernatural talent, Haaland would greatly improve Chelsea's efforts upfront. He would bring back the fear factor that has been lost since Eden Hazard's departure, cause a spike in the club's marketing returns and possibly engage the fans for many years due to his young age (20).
However, it should be known that the prospect of signing Haaland has its negative sides too. The first setback is his transfer fee. According to ESPN, the striker will cost nothing less than €180 million.
Given how the finances of clubs have been affected by Covid-19, it wouldn't be wise to splash such a figure on the 20-year-old. There are other decent options that may not cost half of that amount. Romelu Lukaku, Andre Silva and Alexandre Isak are some such examples. There are also other areas in the squad that Tuchel needs to strengthen. It's obvious the Blues need to sign wingers and perhaps a centre-back.
There is also no guarantee that Erling Haaland will be a success at Stamford Bridge. Many Bundesliga players found it difficult to cope with life in the Premier League when they switched over. Chelsea should've learned enough from the the cases of Timo Werner and Kai Havertz. It would be a better idea to focus on the development of the whole team rather than splash an astronomical figure on a decorated player that may not meet expectations at Stamford Bridge.
