Roberto Soldado
So perilous has been Valencia’s financial situation in recent years, that the club have been powerless to stop their biggest assets slipping through their fingers – and while the bottom line is a little less concerning these days, a serious bid would likely see Roberto Soldado join those who have already departed.
While the Spanish international doesn’t have anything like the physical presence of Didier Drogba, he’s still a twin threat with both his both his feet and head. In his two seasons at La Mestalla, he’s managed a return of over a goal a game, and has a set of attributes which would translate into the English game.
Luuk De Jong
As adept at putting the ball into the net as he is at putting others in position to do so. FC Twente’s De Jong has scored a remarkable 25 in 32 in the Eredivisie this year, and his future is extremely bright. Great awareness, a creative mind on the pitch, and technically very astute – he also has the upside of being able to play as both a lone forward and in a withdrawn role. The second option being particularly pertinent if Chelsea want to avoid marginalising Fernando Torres this Summer.
De Jong is still only 21 though, and his game occasionally shows signs of rawness that will have to be tolerated by any side making a move for him now – definitely one for the future, but maybe don’t expect an immediate return.
Fernando Llorente
The premier forward outside of Barcelona and Madrid. Llorente is like a more physical and more experienced version of Luuk De Jong – and his price tag will reflect that. 6ft5, physical, outstanding in the air, and very comfortable with the ball at his feet – if a prototype for the modern forward existed, it would look like the 27 year-old from Pamplona.
As rare as it is to say this, he’s a forward without any weaknesses. As he should be for the £35m that Athletic Bilbao reportedly want for him.
Gonzalo Higuain
A gossip column favourite.
Probably the most likely option on this list, given Jose Mourinho’s perceived preference for Karim Benzema at Real Madrid – Higuain wants a move, and Chelsea could afford him. Two-plus-two logic…
His credentials are fine: he’s scored over twenty goals in three of the last four seasons, and his range of finishing is fairly eclectic. Combine that with a physique suited to English football, and Chelsea could do a lot worse.
The most natural goalscorer of the four.
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