Chelsea have now hatched a plan to sign a "sensational" striker, with Romelu Lukaku potentially going in the other direction, according to a report.
Who are Chelsea signing in January?
It has been reported that Napoli striker Victor Osimhen is the Blues' number one striker target for the January transfer window, despite the Italian club setting their valuation extremely high, quoting Paris Saint-Germain a fee of £172m in the summer. However, in the same report it is detailed that Ollie Watkins, Lautaro Martinez and Dusan Vlahovic have also been considered, so it is clear that Mauricio Pochettino has a number of targets in mind, after his side's slow start to the Premier League season.
Nicolas Jackson has been heavily criticised, having failed to hit the heights expected of him since arriving from Villarreal on an eight-year contract in the summer, scoring just one goal in his opening six Premier League games.
Arsenal legend Lee Dixon has claimed that Jackson "looks like he's devoid of all confidence in front of goal", so Pochettino may be forced to enter the market for a new striker this winter, although the Senegal international still has a few more months to prove himself.
In a report from CalcioMercato, it has now been detailed that Chelsea are still interested in signing AS Roma forward Tammy Abraham, who is currently out of action due to a rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. It is claimed that the Blues' present problems mean that a move for Abraham "cannot be ruled out" as early as this January, although a concrete attempt to sign him is more likely to occur next summer.
Pochettino's side may also look at using Romelu Lukaku as a "bargaining chip" in the negotiations, with the Belgian forward currently impressing on loan at Roma, having scored two goals in his opening three Serie A games.
The respective valuations of the two players are very similar, at around €35m – €40m (£30m – £35m), meaning that a swap deal could be a more or less equal exchange, which would satisfy both parties.
How many goals has Tammy Abraham scored?
The 25-year-old has scored a total of 159 goals in his career, across 359 games, but he did not impress during his final season with Chelsea, netting just six times in 22 Premier League appearances.
Since then, the "sensational" Englishman has kicked on in the Serie A, amassing 32 goal contributions across all competitions in the 2021-22 season, but there are doubts over whether he would be a worthwhile signing for the Blues.
If Abraham was brought in as a back-up option, getting Lukaku off the books in the process, then he could be a shrewd addition to the squad, but his goal record throughout his career does not indicate he is capable of being the main man.
Instead, the Blues should continue to target Osimhen as a priority, although they may find it difficult to win the race for the Nigeria international if their form does not pick up ahead of the January transfer window.