Maurizio Sarri has indicated that he wants Chelsea to sign a winger during this month’s transfer window and has no interest in recalling strikers Michy Batshuayi or Tammy Abraham.
It comes after striker Olivier Giroud suffered an ankle injury and amid reports that the season-long loan deals of Batshuayi and Abraham could be terminated.
Batshuayi has failed to impress on loan at Valencia, while Abraham is enjoying a fine season in the Championship with Aston Villa – his brace against QPR on New Year’s Day took his goal tally for the season to 16.
Reports have claimed that Abraham wants to play Premier League football and has asked Chelsea to recall him.
Villa boss Dean Smith insisted after the QPR game that Abraham has shown “no inclination” to back to Chelsea.
And Sarri appears to have no plans to recall either forward despite Giroud’s absence.
“I don’t think (so) no, because I have the option with Eden Hazard in this position, and I have Alvaro Morata,” Sarri said.
“Hazard can play very well in this position, as we have seen in the last two or three matches.”
Sarri has suggested that he wants to keep Callum Hudson-Odoi, who is wanted by Bayern Munich.
But with Hudson-Odoi currently nursing a hamstring problem along with Pedro, Sarri is minded to bring in another wide-man.
He explained: “At the moment I don’t need another striker – maybe another winger, because now we are in trouble with the injuries to Pedro, Odoi and Ruben Loftus-Cheek.
“So I have the option for the striker. But at the moment I have no option for the wingers.”
This post was last modified on 02/01/2019