Why a new contract extension for Tammy Abraham is the right step by Chelsea

According to The Telegraph (h/t Football London), Chelsea have activated a one-year extension in the contract of Tammy Abraham.

This will see the 22-year-old Blues striker extend his stay at Stamford Bridge by another three years rather than two. Abraham had a breakthrough campaign for Chelsea this season before he sustained a few injuries and fell behind the pecking order under new boss Frank Lampard.

The young forward still remains Chelsea’s leading goal-scorer in the league with 14 to his name, courtesy of his exemplary goals-coring form early in the season. However, since the turn of the year, Abraham has suffered a dip in form. He scored for the first time since January in Tuesday evening’s nervy 3-2 win away at Crystal Palace.

Abraham’s goal drought saw him being replaced by veteran striker Olivier Giroud in the first-team. Giroud, surprisingly, has undergone a renaissance and has been in good form since the restart.

Abraham, a talent Chelsea cannot afford to lose

Chelsea recently signed German forward Timo Werner for a huge sum from RB Leipzig following his goal-scoring exploits in the Bundesliga in the last few years.

The news of Werner’s signing had put Abraham’s starting contention within the Chelsea side in more jeopardy. However, the new one-year extension seems reassuring and is, by all means, a step in the right direction by Lampard’s side.

With 78 Championship and 63 Premier League games under his belt, Abraham is nothing short of experience and is of great value to a side like Chelsea.

Before proving his potential in the Chelsea senior side, the young Abraham was already a goal-scoring sensation in the lower division, excelling for sides such as Bristol City, Aston Villa and Swansea City while on loan spells.

He has 48 goals in the Championship and is a clear talent Chelsea cannot afford to lose. Moreover, with Giroud turning 34 this September and back-up striker Michy Batshuayi failing to impress, the club’s decision to extend Abraham’s stay seems like a well-thought one.

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Verdict

Despite his recent struggles, Abraham has proved that he is a consistent goal-scorer when in form. Also, Giroud’s growing age remains a concern for the Blues, who do not have any other established striker in their ranks at the moment. Moreover, he is just 22 and has plenty of time to showcase his potential. The Blues just have to keep faith in him and offer him more chances.