Napoli's Belgian forward Dries Mertens celebrates after scoring a penalty during the UEFA Champions League Group E football match Napoli vs Liverpool on September 17, 2019 at the San Paolo stadium in Naples. (Photo by Andreas SOLARO / AFP) (Photo credit should read ANDREAS SOLARO/AFP/Getty Images)
Chelsea: Lampard set for late push to sign Hazard replacement
It’s about time Chelsea fixed their attacking options…
With only a day remaining in the January transfer window, Frank Lampard is growing frustrated with Chelsea’s lack of business and rightly so. The London-based club were not able to sign a player in the summer window because they were prevented from doing do by FIFA’s financial fair play rules.
But ever since the ban was reduced and Chelsea were granted the privilege of spending this January, they have yet to invest in any player this January. Frank Lampard is bound to be unhappy about this because there are clear areas of improvement in this Blues side.
The aim for this season is to qualify for the Champions League, at the very least, but this will only be possible with new additions to the squad. The competition is heating up in the English top-flight and with other teams strengthening, Chelsea are failing to keep up.
That said, Chelsea are very much still active in the transfer window and they are determined to make the final day count. It will all come down to whether they have left it too late. According to The Telegraph, Chelsea are looking to push through a late move for Napoli’s Dried Mertens. The Blues originally tried to sign Napoli’s forward but the Italian side told them they did not wish to sell, Matt Law reports.
Mertens ages at 32 years old but he is still playing at a high level on a consistent basis. He has particularly impressed in the Champions League this season, where he scored an impressive five goals and provided an assist in the group stage. This experience will be crucial to Chelsea going forward.
Mertens is just as much a creative player as he is a goal scorer, with his passing ability catching the eye in the final third. That said, he could easily form an attacking partnership alongside the talented Tammy Abraham so the youngster’s progress would not be hindered.
Chelsea’s Olivier Giroud is thought to be on the lookout for a move away in order to get game time for the upcoming European championships. That said, I can imagine the signing of Mertens would make the Blues a little more comfortable with letting go of the Frenchman.
Do you think Chelsea will make any signings on deadline day?
