Chelsea have reportedly identified Christian Benteke as a possible addition in January as their search for a striker intensifies.
According to a report by Daily Mirror, Chrisian Benteke is on Chelsea’s shortlist as a possible striker recruitment this month, with Antonio Conte eager to bolster his options. The Blues are looking at the Crystal Palace striker as a possible alternative to Andy Carroll, who seems to be their priority target.
Benteke has found a stable footing in his club career once again since joining Crystal Palace in the summer of 2016 after a torrid one-year spell at Liverpool. At Selhurst Park, the player has gone a long way in rediscovering the killer instinct that had made him a highly sought-after figure in the transfer market.
This season though, has been a bit of a struggle for Benteke, who has scored just one goal in 17 outings across all competitions. But, that is also largely down to a lack of service coming his way, with Palace only recently starting to showcase relegation saving form.
Regardless of his form, Benteke is attracting a lot of interest in the current transfer window, with a former suitor looking to sign him. Chelsea are eager to sign a striker this month, with the positions one of several that Antonio Conte wants to reinforce.
The Blues have been going through a bit of a scoring drought in recent weeks, with Alvaro Morata struggling for form. Michy Batshuayi has failed to step up in the meantime, and with Eden Hazard not managing to score on a consistent basis, Chelsea have an urgent need to sign a genuine goalscorer who can share the workload with Hazard and Morata.
Widespread reports have claimed that Andy Carroll is the primary target for Chelsea, although his record with injuries is forcing the West Londoners to pursue other options as well. Some reports state that the move could now be off, with Andy Carroll suffering a fresh bout of injury at West Ham.
The Blues have, thus, set their sights on Benteke, who could be a fine backup option with his proven record in the Premier League.
The Belgian striker could also be a possible option to line up alongside Morata in the 3-5-2 formation, giving Hazard a free role behind the duo. But, Benteke is still only a fallback option for Chelsea, who would prefer to sign Carroll instead.
Regardless of who makes his way to Stamford Bridge this month, it is imperative for Chelsea to sign a striker who can bring goals to Antonio Conte’s squad, especially with the schedule being so packed. It now remains to be seen if the Blues sign Benteke, or manage to land Carroll.
