Despite a few poor results, this season is starting to shape up nicely for Chelsea.
Enzo Maresca’s side are currently second in the Premier League and have the chance to cut the gap to Arsenal to just three points when they play them on Sunday.
However, for the West Londoners to have any chance of beating the high-flying Gunners, they’ll need to have their shooting boots on, and Liam Delap will have to show why the club signed him in the summer.
However, Chelsea might already be having second thoughts about the Englishman, as reports are linking them to another exciting young striker, someone with shades of Didier Drogba in their game.
Chelsea target Delap upgrade
Given Chelsea’s propensity to spend big in the transfer window, it’s not been much of a surprise to see reports already linking them with a host of talented players ahead of the January window.
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For example, Athletic Bilbao’s incredibly exciting Nico Williams has been touted for a £62m move to Stamford Bridge, and Nottingham Forest’s Murillo has also been heavily linked.
However, as talented as these two internationals are, neither can be compared to Drogba, nor would they be a threat to Delap’s place in the team, unlike Robinio Vaz.
Yes, according to a recent report from Caught Offside, Chelsea are one of a few teams interested in the exciting French talent.
In fact, the report has revealed that the Blues have already established contact with Marseille over a possible move that could cost as much as €30m, about £26m.
However, sides like Arsenal, Borussia Dortmund, Sevilla and Napoli are also said to be interested in the youngster.
It could therefore be a costly and complicated transfer to get over the line, but given Vaz’s ability and potential, it’s one Chelsea should fight for, especially as he could be an upgrade on Delap and has shades of Drogba in his game.
How Vaz compares to Delap and Drogba
Okay, so before looking at how Vaz compares to Delap, let’s examine the shades of Drogba in his game and this potential move.
The first and most significant would be that, so long as this transfer happens, the youngster would be following in the legendary striker’s footsteps, who moved from Marseille to Chelsea in 2004.
Another trait he appears to share with the iconic centre-forward is that he’s more than a goalscorer.
While he certainly can put the ball in the back of the net, the teenage sensation is also someone who can create chances for his teammates through, in the words of respected analyst Ben Mattinson, an ability to “hold up the ball.”
With all that said, how does his output stack up to that of Delap’s this season?
Appearances
14
7
Minutes
331′
294′
Goals
4
0
Assists
2
0
Goal Involvements per Match
0.42
N/A
Minutes per Goal Involvement
55.16′
N/A
Well, despite still being just 18 years old, the “lethal” number nine, as one analyst dubbed him, has scored four goals and provided two assists in 14 appearances, totalling just 331 minutes this season.
That comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.33 games, or far more crucially, one every 55.16 minutes.
In contrast, the West Londoners’ summer signing has failed to score a single goal or provide a single assist in seven appearances across all competitions, totalling 294 minutes.
Granted, he has been out injured, but the Englishman has almost played as many minutes as the youngster and arguably for a far better team.
UltimatelyUltimately, it’s still early in his career, but as one analyst puts it, Vaz looks like he’s “going straight to the top,” and therefore Chelsea should sign him, even if it’s bad news for Delap.
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