"How many strikers who are not number nines?" - Pundit has a go at Chelsea's transfer policy amid reports of Joao Felix deal
Chelsea have been questioned by former Middlesbrough striker Jan Age Fjortoft over their transfer policy after reports of Joao Felix nearing a switch to Stamford Bridge emerged.
As per The Athletic, Felix and Chelsea have reached a verbal agreement over a loan move this January. The Blues are set to beat Manchester United and Arsenal in the race for the Portugal international.
The need for a new forward has been felt under manager Graham Potter this season. Chelsea have scored just 20 goals in 18 league games this term - the least out of any team in the top 10.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's arrival on deadline day of last summer's transfer window was seen as a short-term fix to their problems up front. However, the former Arsenal forward has failed to get going, scoring just once in nine league games so far.
Felix, however, isn't a traditional number nine, even though he can and has played as a centre-forward for Atletico Madrid and SL Benfica in the past. He is more of a second striker or a 'false nine'.
How many strikers who are not “number nines” are Chelsea to sign before they realize that they need a number nine and not more strikers?
Felix's profile is similar to that of Kai Havertz, who can also play down the middle but thrives more playing behind a striker. Raheem Sterling has also been used as a false nine by Potter but the Englishman's strongest suit is playing as a winger.
To add to that, Aubameyang also played as a winger during some of the best years of his career. Keeping this in mind, Fjortoft tweeted:
"How many strikers who are not “number nines” are Chelsea to sign before they realize that they need a number nine and not more strikers?"
Havertz was signed for a fee of £75.8 million from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer of 2020. Sterling, meanwhile, arrived from Manchester City for a fee of £47.5 million last summer.
Chelsea continue to struggle in their bid to find a No. 9
Chelsea haven't had a reliable striker in a long time, but it hasn't been due to a lack of trying.
That number 9 curse is REAL. Man was on SMOKE at Barca, now he’s worse than Werner twitter.com/FootyAccums/st…
Aubameyang's arrival in September meant that the Blues had purchased a high-profile striker for three consecutive summers. Romelu Lukaku was signed a year before the Gabon international's arrival but was loaned back to Inter Milan last summer.
Timo Werner arrived alongside Havertz but was shipped back to RB Leipzig two years later on a permanent basis. He managed just 23 goals for the Blues in 89 games across competitions.
Armando Broja, meanwhile, has been ruled out for the remainder of the season with an injury. Hence, a potential loan move for Felix isn't a bad signing.
It would give the Blues an idea of how Felix adjusts to the Premier League before making a decision in the summer.