Chelsea are keen on adding a new number nine to their ranks in the near future.
The Blues feel they need a world-class striker to take the next step and they have been linked with Brentford’s Ivan Toney for a while now. However, they might not pursue his signatures in the winter according to a report by GIVEMESPORT.
Toney has proven himself in the English top flight with exceptional performances for the Bees.
While he might be serving a ban for illegal betting at this point, the England international will be back in action in mid-January. And, there are quite a few clubs that could push for his services. The Bees are well aware of the amount of interest in their star striker. While the player’s contract runs out in the summer of 2025, Brentford are keen on keeping him at the club for as long as possible. They will only let him leave for a fee of around £100 million.
While the Blues do have the financial strength, they might not be that keen on investing such a huge fee on a 27-year-old who has been out of action for a while now. The London club struggled in the initial part of the season to score goals. But, of late things have improved in the final third. As a result, they feel they have enough quality in their ranks to get through the ongoing season.
The report suggests that the fee is a big hurdle for the Blues and they might look to wait until the summer before making such a big investment on a star striker. They do need one but they are willing to wait.
Meanwhile, there is tension between Mauricio Pochettino and the board as the manager feels he doesn’t have the right fit of players for his system. With the tension growing the Blues could have a reserved approach in the winter transfer window.