Why Chelsea have made a bad choice by not signing Salomon Rondon
According to Daily Telegraph’s Matt Law, Chelsea had a chance to sign Salomon Rondon on loan but the club opted out from signing him.
Rondon, 30, who came through the youth ranks of Aragua FC in his homeland, made a name for himself in La Liga with Malaga FC after joining the club in 2010. He then played for Zenit St. Petersburg in Russia before moving to West Brom in 2015.
In his three seasons at the Hawthorns, Rondon scored 28 goals in 120 games for the Baggies before moving to St. James’ Park for a year. He scored 12 goals for the Magpies while providing 7 assists in all competitions. Last summer, he moved to China with Dalian Professional, which is headed by former Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez.
Meanwhile, Chelsea have been struggling in recent weeks in the Premier League and have failed to convert the good start to the season into a better one.
Chelsea boss Frank Lampard had the opportunity to sign players, especially for the attacking unit after their transfer ban was uplifted back in December. They have youngster Tammy Abraham as the first-choice, whereas Olivier Giroud and Michy Batshuayi have been deprived of game time by the manager.
Abrahaim started the season on a high, scoring regularly, but has failed to find the back of the net in recent weeks. He has only 3 goals in the last 10 league games. The club are facing issues up front, and it s evident from the game against Leicester City, where Antonio Rudiger’s brace saved them from the jaws of a defeat.
Hence, the decision to back away from signing Salomon Rondon on loan could be costly as the season reaches its rear end.
Rondon may not be a prolific goalscorer but since he is a proper striker, Lampard should have taken a chance with the Venezuelan, who is the top scorer for his country. He has scored 30 goals for his nation in 81 international games.
The 30-year-old has got some Premier League experience under his belt as he has played in England for 4 years. He has also scored a decent number of goals for the Chinese outfit. Also, Chelsea have struggled whenever Abraham has been injured.
In that case, Rondon could have been a handful for the Blues in leading their attack. He is also capable of playing on the left flank.
Verdict
Chelsea’s mistake of not signing a striker has put them at the risk of losing out on a Champions League qualification spot. It is not possible to depend on their youngsters throughout the season and the Venezuelan could have been a good backup in the attacking unit.
Therefore, they need to put in the extra work after missing out on signing a striker in the January transfer window.
