Chelsea could be on the hunt for a new striker this summer, with reports Diego Costa is poised to give in to the financial lure of the Chinese Super League.
Antonio Conte’s side can move one step closer to lifting the Premier League title with victory over relegation-threatened Middlesbrough at Stamford Bridge on Monday night.
Ahead of that game, we look at five possible replacements for the bruising Spain international.
Alexis Sanchez
The Arsenal forward is yet to sign an extension to his contract which expires next summer and has been the subject of growing speculation following another campaign in which the Gunners have failed to contend for the title or make headway in Europe. The skilful Chilean is a different type of player to the powerful Costa but Chelsea would be getting a proven Premier League performer.
Romelu Lukaku
The Belgian failed to cut the mustard in his first stint at Stamford Bridge when he was signed as a teenager from Anderlecht in 2011. However, he has flourished since he joined Everton and has stepped up another level this term, with 24 league goals already. The Blues would have to fork out significantly more than the £28million they received from Everton for his services in 2014 but the 23-year-old is reportedly keen on a return to west London.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
The frighteningly-fast Borussia Dortmund forward, who leads the Bundesliga scoring charts with 28 goals from 30 games, has been strongly linked with a move to French giants Paris St Germain. The Gambia international has plenty of Champions League pedigree, with 18 goals in Europe’s elite club competition over the past two seasons. He has said he will make a decision on his future at the end of the season.
Alvaro Morata
The Spain striker only returned to his home-town club Real Madrid last summer following two seasons with Juventus but has struggled to hold down a regular starting place with the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale vying for places up front. Morata did not play under current Chelsea boss Antonio Conte at Juventus, who left Turin the summer the Spaniard arrived.
Fernando Llorente
The Swansea forward was linked with a move to Chelsea in January but stayed in south Wales. The towering striker has scored 13 Premier League goals for a side battling the drop this term, although at the age of 32 he would be no more than a stop-gap solution for the Blues and hardly the sort of ‘galactico’ name to convince fans their club had filled the void left by Costa’s departure.
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