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20th Jan 2018

Chelsea linked to yet another striker as search for target man continues

It could be a double swoop

Reuben Pinder

Chelsea are looking in a lot of shop windows this January.

The most recent shop being AS Roma.

According to reports from Sky ItaliaChelsea are interested in signing Roma forward Edin Džeko.

The Bosnian is one of many target men Chelsea have been linked with, after reports have suggested Chelsea are after Andy Carroll, Peter Crouch and Christian Benteke.

Antonio Conte clearly wants a plan B to provide an alternative to misfiring Álvaro Morata and the inconsistent Michy Batshuayi and Džeko seems the most sensible target on the list.

His record in Serie A is phenomenal: he has scored 61 goals in 116 games for Roma since moving there in 2015. Last season, he managed to score 39 goals in all competitions.

Having rediscovered some form in Italy after his goals dried up in England during his time at Manchester City, it’s easy to see why Antonio Conte would want the player to join him at Chelsea.

His previous spell in the Premier League should mean he doesn’t require a lot of time to adapt, as well as the fact that Roma and Chelsea play the same 3-4-2-1 shape.

Roma left-back Emerson Palmieri could also be part of the deal. Sky Italia transfer guru Gianluca Di Marzio has reported that Chelsea could pay €65m for both players.

Kenedy, who has deputised for Marcos Alonso at left wing-back thus far for Chelsea, has been linked with a move away so it is feasible that Chelsea could take both players off Roma.