Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri plans to prioritise the signing of a winger instead of a new striker amid reports linking AC Milan forward Gonzalo Higuain with a move to Stamford Bridge.
The Premier League club have not been able to rely on their strikers for goals this season, as Olivier Giroud and Alvaro Morata have managed just six between them.
Giroud limped out of Chelsea’s 1-0 win over Crystal Palace on Sunday leaving the unconvincing Morata as their only recognised striker.
Higuain, who played under Sarri at Napoli, has been strongly linked with a move to the club because of Chelsea’s struggles in his position.
But, Sarri has ruled out recalling either Tammy Abraham or Michy Batshuayi from their respective loan spells at Aston Villa and Valencia, and he feels signing another winger is more crucial than another striker.
“No, because I have the option with Hazard in this position,” he said when asked about cutting short the loan deals of Abraham and Batshuayi.
“We have Morata, and Hazard can play very well in this position as we have seen in the last two, three matches, so I think that in the moment I don’t need another striker.
“Maybe another winger, because now we are in trouble with the injuries of Pedro, of [Callum] Hudson-Odoi, [Ruben] Loftus-Cheek, so I have the option [Hazard] and what an option for the striker, but at the moment I have no option for the wingers.”
Next up for the Blues is a Premier League clash against Southampton at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday, before they host Nottingham Forest on Saturday to kick off their 2019 FA cup campaign.
Sarri’s men are currently fourth in the top flight, two points ahead of fifth-placed Arsenal but a whopping 11 behind leaders Liverpool.
A win against the Saints would see Chelsea close the gap on Manchester City in third to just a point.