RB Leipzig striker Timo Werner has reportedly told Premier League side, Chelsea, that he doesn’t want to join them in the summer. The hotshot German striker has been in splendid form over the last few seasons, scoring 88 goals in 151 appearances for the club in all competitions. The German international has had his best season in the 2019-20 season as he is on 27 goals from 37 appearances.
Timo Werner would have fit in very well at Chelsea, who need a top-class striker to add depth and potency to the attack which has had to heavily rely on the very young shoulders of Tammy Abraham. Werner’s pace and direct running, as well as his accurate finishing, would have made the Blues much much stronger.
With Timo Werner no longer an option for Frank Lampard, here are 3 alternatives Chelsea should target:
Moussa Dembele
Another player linked heavily with Chelsea is French striker Moussa Dembele, who currently plays for Lyon. The 23-year-old forward could be up for sale as the French club are in a tough financial position.
Dembele is a quick striker, who is a very good finisher and takes his chances well in and around the box. He likes to play on the shoulder of the opposition defenders and use his pace to cause trouble to defences.
In the 2019-20 season – his second for Lyon since transferring from Celtic – he scored 22 goals in 42 games in all competitions. At 23, Dembele is young and can serve Chelsea well for years.
Dries Mertens
A cheaper option to Dembele, albeit one that would be for a shorter period, is Napoli forward Dries Mertens. The Belgian striker’s contract with the Italian club expires in the summer and he will available on a free transfer. But at 33 years of age, Mertens would be a short-term option for Chelsea.
Mertens is a versatile player who can play as a striker, withdrawn forward, or out wide on the wing. His pace, direct running, and experience, as well as his goalscoring ability, would give Lampard more options up front.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
Another experienced striker that the Blues could target is Arsenal forward, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. The Gabon international’s contract is set to expire next summer. Aubameyang and the Gunners haven’t agreed on a new contract yet, and if they don’t do so before the end of the January transfer window, the Gunners will risk losing him on a free.
Aubameyang would be a brilliant signing for the Blues as he is a striker that has scored consistently and knows the league well. This would be a good deal for Aubameyang as he has a better chance of winning a trophy at Chelsea than Arsenal.
There is the obvious issue of moving between London clubs but we have seen before that Arsenal are not averse to selling their top assets to fellow top 6 clubs and for the right price this is a move that has a chance of materialising, albeit a very small one.