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Burak Yilmaz in action during the UEFA Champions League group stage match between Real Madrid CF and Galatasaray AS held on September 17, 2013 at the Ali Sami Yen Spor Kompleksi, in Istanbul, Turkey. (Getty Images)
With Chelsea’s strikers still yet to score a league goal this campaign, and doubts still surfacing over the long-term futures of Demba Ba and Fernando Torres, rumours have already begun to surface over who they will look to bring in to lead the line in January.
The latest rumour to emerge from The Daily Mirror is that they are targeting Galatasaray forward Burak Yilmaz, with team-mate Didier Drogba having recommended the Turkish international to his former club last summer, according to The Express.
With Demba Ba rumoured to be offered as part-exchange for Yilmaz, it is expected he would be signed to lead the line, with Torres and Samuel Eto’o having failed to impress thus far this campaign.
Yilmaz enjoyed a fine campaign for Galatasaray last season as they won the Turkish Super Lig, scoring 32 goals in 39 appearances, with eight of those coming in just nine Champions League games.
That included a perfect hat-trick against FC Cluj as Gala went through with Manchester United in their group, before finally succumbing to Mourinho’s Real Madrid.
Burak Yilmaz in last season’s Champions League
However this season has not seen him start as comfortably, netting just twice in six games, as Galatasaray have endured a torrid start to the season.
This included a 6-1 thumping at home to Real Madrid in the Champions League group stage, with Yilmaz only managing to have a better game than former Liverpool man Albert Riera of the outfield players, according to Squawka Performance Score.
With Chelsea looking to set themselves alongside the likes of Real Madrid in their quest for further European glory, it would come as a concern to them that Yilmaz failed to muster a single shot on goal or create a single chance for his team mates in his 77 minutes on the pitch, as Gala were swatted aside with ease.
In addition, he won just one of six headed duels, failed to even attempt to take on a single player, and completed just 11 passes all game at a completion rate of 79%.
Demba Ba in front of goal this season
Ba on the other hand has played two league games for Chelsea this season (against admittedly inferior opposition to Real Madrid), but has managed to have five shots on goal in his time on the pitch, hitting the target with 60% of them.
He also created two chances for colleagues in that time, while he has managed to win three of his six attempted headed duels this season.
There is no doubt judging on last season’s exploits that Yilmaz possesses the qualities to do a decent job at Stamford Bridge, but his poor performance against a European heavyweight suggests he may not be able to live up to a hefty price tag, as he may struggle to perform against the bigger sides.
His inflated signing fee would potentially look poor if he is unable to elevate Chelsea any further than the strikers they already have at their disposal.
Football graphics and stats from Squawka
