Transfer Rumour: Chelsea eye shock move for Ghanaian striker Richmond Boakye

Antonio Conte has reportedly shortlisted Red Star Belgrade attacker Richmond Boakye as a potential addition to his strikeforce at Chelsea.

According to Ghana Soccernet, Antonio Conte has interestingly opted to shortlist Red Star Belgrade striker Richmond Boakye as a potential addition to the Chelsea squad in order to reinforce the Blues attack, which has been depleted by the departure of Diego Costa.

Richmond Boakye was once hailed as a prodigious youngster during his time at Genoa. The player had eventually earned a move to Juventus in 2012 and then to Atalanta in 2014. However, the player failed to convert his talent into something substantial. But, he seems to have rejuvenated his career at Red Star Belgrade.

The Ghanaian striker has been in scintillating form for the Serbian giants, with 30 goals in the present calendar year – numbers that rival the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and others. And while the player has been away on duty for Ghana during the international break, rumours have surfaced linking him to Chelsea.

Boakye had earlier been linked to Sunderland but links with Chelsea comes as a huge surprise. However, Antonio Conte knows the player from his managerial tenure at Juventus, which could be part of the reason for the rumours connecting Boakye to Chelsea.

10 goals and 3 assists in 16 games for the present season to date, the numbers paint the right picture for Boakye, who seems to have finally hit his purple patch. Chelsea did sign Alvaro Morata this summer and the Spaniard has taken to Premier League football with aplomb. But, Morata has been sidelined with a hamstring injury for now.

And while Michy Batshuayi also seems to be showing hints of finally hitting his stride at Chelsea, Antonio Conte does not seem satisfied with his frontline and is looking to add to the squad, be it the winter transfer window or the summer transfer window of 2018.

Boakye is contracted to Red Star till 2020 and the Serbian club seem to value the player around the £10 million mark. And while it would be difficult to replace Boakye’s goals, the 24-year-old will not be stopped by Red Star, provided Chelsea do meet the club’s valuation of the player.

The striker though, will welcome the links, which shows just how far he has progressed and also shows that he is finally on the right path – the path to justifying the tag of a prodigy.

Who knows, Boakye might become one of those late bloomers who takes European football by storm within the coming years – be it at Chelsea or anywhere else.