Chelsea should offload Morata and sign Aleksandr Mitrovic in January
According to The Mirror, Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic has emerged as a target for Chelsea after his impressive run of form in the Premier League. Chelsea are amongst a number of clubs who are interested in the Serb’s signature (h/t Mirror).
Chelsea continued their hundred per cent record in the Premier League with a 4-1 drubbing of newly-promoted Cardiff City at Stamford Bridge over the weekend. Eden Hazard once again proved his worth, scoring his second hat-trick for the Blues to overturn a 1-0 deficit. With five wins out of five, Maurizio Sarri’s team currently sit atop the league standings above the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City.
Saturday’s clash against Cardiff also marked Olivier Giroud’s return in the starting line-up. Sarri handed the 31-year-old Frenchman his first start of the season ahead of Alvaro Morata and he did not disappoint his manager. Chelsea used Giroud as the target man perfectly to link play in the final third and the World Cup winner obliged with two assists for Hazard.
However, there seems to be no end to Morata’s woes at Stamford Bridge. Although the Spaniard managed to find the back of the net against Arsenal, his overall performances in the ongoing season have been poor by his standards. His lacklustre form forced Sarri to bench him for the game against Cardiff.
Morata, who currently earns a staggering £120,000-a-week, hasn’t looked sharp enough and the Spaniard has lacked poaching instincts inside the penalty area. In fact, he seems like a shadow of the player he was at Juventus a couple of seasons back.
It is quite evident that Morata has found it difficult to adapt his game to the demands of the Premier League. He might have been a misfit for Antonio Conte’s counter-attacking style but he hasn’t done any better under Sarri either. It is rare for new players to hit the ground running in English top-flight but Morata has been given ample time.
Hence, it is time for Chelsea to offload their flop and move forward. In contrast, Aleksandar Mitrovic has certainly hit the ground running.
The 23-year-old Serbian joined Fulham on loan from Newcastle in January and helped the Cottagers secure promotion to the top-flight with 12 goals in 17 appearances in the Championship. As a result of his top-notch performances, Fulham signed him permanently for £20million in the summer.
The Serbian has taken his game to a new level in the Premier League as well. He has shown the presence of mind to be at the right place at the right time inside the penalty box. His sense of positioning has greatly improved and his instincts look sharper than ever. Not only has he shown the ability to get in behind the defenders with subtle runs but has also been clinical with his headers.
Chelsea boast of excellent wingers in their ranks with Pedro, Willian and Hazard. Given that Mitrovic is an excellent header of the ball, Chelsea should be able to supply him with adequate support from crosses. A good target man in the final third, Mitrovic is also adept at linking play with his teammates.
Giroud has been far better than Morata in the current season. However, the fact that he will turn 32 next month should be a cause of concern for Sarri, since Michy Batshuayi is currently out on loan.
After his brilliant displays in the Premier League, Fulham will surely slam a huge price tag to keep their talismanic striker at the club but Chelsea should go all out to sign the Serbian in January. And they must not hesitate to offload Morata for that purpose.
