Chelsea are reportedly planning to spend up to £70m on a new striker this summer, but it’s not yet clear who they will prioritise.
Diego Costa has been in fine form this season as he has helped fire the Blues to the top of the Premier League table as they look on course to win the title.
However, with talk over his future and Antonio Conte’s need for depth with the return of Champions League football next season, the Italian tactician is expected to be busy this summer.
According to The Sun, there is a split within the club over who they should sign though. While Conte wants to spend the £70m budget on Real Madrid striker Alvaro Morata, technical director Michael Emenalo is reportedly keen to bring Romelu Lukaku back from Everton.
Either signing would be a major boost for Chelsea, but it’s arguably Lukaku who should be the first choice for many given that the 23-year-old is Premier League ready and is enjoying the most prolific campaign of his career to date with 21 league goals.
As for Morata, the Spaniard returned to Madrid last summer with the promise of a more prominent role under Zinedine Zidane. It hasn’t gone to plan for him though, as he once again is left looking for a suitable challenge elsewhere to gain regular first-team football.
It’s added by the Sun that there is a feeling that Costa will likely move on this summer, with either a move to China or a return to Atletico Madrid being touted as his two possible options.
In turn, it will be absolutely crucial that Chelsea bring in a new forward, but they’ll have to come to an agreement on who to target as ultimately both Morata and Lukaku are top-class forwards and with a £70m budget, it’s only going to be one player who seals a move to Stamford Bridge this summer.