Premier League giants Chelsea are considering a move for Lyon attacker Nabil Fekir in the upcoming January transfer window, it has been claimed by the Mail.
Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri is keen to add more attacking reinforcements as the Blues hope to keep up with Liverpool and Manchester City at the business end of the table.
Is Fekir a good option for Chelsea?
Nabil Fekir: Player profile
Following an astounding campaign last season that saw him play a hand in 25 goals in 30 league games, Fekir has failed to replicate his performance this time around, scoring only three goals in 11 matches.
But, it is probably fair to point out that the Frenchman hasn’t been a regular for Lyon this season, featuring in a little over 650 minutes of league action.
As far as influence is concerned, Fekir hasn’t been bad either, averaging over 5 shots per 90 minutes, which testifies for his excellent shooting prowess and the fact that he carries a huge goal threat in the final third.
Fekir is also known for his excellent close-control and his ability to drift past opposing defenders even at full throttle. He has attempted 3.3 dribbles per 90, which is bettered only by Memphis Depay and Bertrand Traore.
But, what makes Fekir such a sought-after player in European football is his creativity and despite suffering a relatively rough campaign so far, the 25-year-old has still managed to muster up 2 key passes per 90 minutes – an impressive tally for any player in Europe’s top leagues.
How will Fekir fit into Chelsea?
The addition of Fekir makes a whole lot of sense for Chelsea, mostly from a tactical perspective as it will allow to Sarri to be more flexible and have more options in the attacking department, at least till the end of the campaign.
Indeed, Fekir can either be deployed as a central attacking midfielder or a winger though he is most likely to operate as a wide player should Hazard leave the club next summer.
Fekir’s willingness to take on defenders in the final third, more or less, resembles Hazard’s attacking approach and the fact that the Frenchman can offer the much-needed creativity potentially makes him a tailor-made fit for Chelsea.
Aside from that, Fekir is also threat in front of goal and has excellent productivity in the final third, which will certainly revamp Chelsea’s attacking department as they aim to produce a strong showing during the second half of the campaign.
