Chelsea reportedly want to bring Leicester City’s Islam Slimani to Stamford Bridge this January. The club has been linked with shock moves for West Ham’s Andy Carroll, Stoke City’s Peter Crouch, Burnley’s Ashley Barnes and Roma’s Edin Dzeko in recent days.
Manager Antonio Conte has made the signing of a striker his main priority as he looks to bring in a big target man this January. Our gaffer is unhappy with the attacking options currently available and wants more cover and competition for out-of-form striker Alvaro Morata, who has not scored in his last six games.
The Italian has extremely limited faith in Michy Batshuayi, who was signed against Conte’s wishes in the summer of 2016. The Belgian has started only three Premier League matches under the Italian. And with the Blues already closing in on Dzeko, Conte wants to land Slimani from Leicester too, as per The Times.
The Algerian, unlike Dzeko, would be eligible to be included in Chelsea’s Champions League squad. Chelsea face Barcelona in the Champions League round of 16 and that could attract Slimani to join the Premier League champions this month.
Slimani was signed on a five-year deal on the final day of the transfer window in the summer of 2016 and still has three-and-a-half years on his contract. The striker, who has 5 goals to his name so far this season from 17 appearances for the Foxes, has only netted once in the Premier League this campaign and that goal came on New Year’s Day against Huddersfield Town.
The report goes on to say that Leicester would be open to Slimani leaving the club but they would prefer to do a permanent deal for the former Sporting Lisbon star.
The Blues are also looking at thrashing out a deal to bring Dzeko back to English football from AS Roma. While the Serie A club are open to selling the 31-year-old if their financial terms are met, the Bosnia and Herzegovina international has already played Champions League football this season and cannot be added to Chelsea’s squad for the knock-out stages.
While Morata has scored just twice in his last 9 games, Dzeko has astonishingly scored the same number of goals in his last 16 matches and is enduring his own muggy spell of form.
What’s your opinion? Who do you think Chelsea should sign?