Who will be Chelsea’s main striker during the 2013/2014 season?

Chelsea’s best bet – Romelu Lukaku

With the Wayne Rooney saga dragging on, and assuming that we do not sign anyone else, who will Jose Mourinho entrust with the role of main striker for Chelsea during the 2013/2014 season?

Whilst Mourinho may choose to share responsibilities between our three main strikers, however, it seems more likely that one player will emerge as the preferred option with the other two providing a supporting role.

Romelu Lukaku

It is not often that a club gains a proven Premier League goal scorer without signing a player. But with the Belgian flourishing at West Brom on loan, he returns with a point to prove at the Bridge.

17 Premier League goals in a season that built slowly means that he is arguably the in-form striker we have. With his pace, presence and improving touch there is growing clamour for him to get a fair crack of the whip this season.

Romelu Lukaku is my bet to be our main striker next season.

Demba Ba

I feel that we have not seen the best of Demba Ba since he signed for Chelsea, with the “interim one” Rafael Benitez continuing to favour his pet project Fernando Torres towards the back end of the season.

I think that Ba will be a decent back up option during the season and as long as he can be comfortable with this, he will be a valuable member of the squad.

Behind Lukaku in my pecking order, he will compete with Torres for the back up role.

Fernando Torres

An enigma wrapped inside a conundrum. The form of Fernando Torres has improved in the last 12 months but he is still not the player we hoped he would be.

I still believe there is a world class striker in there somewhere but time for him to prove he can do it at Chelsea is running out.

I think that form, and not reputation, should pick the team and therefore, I see Lukaku being picked ahead of him.