Chelsea are ahead of Arsenal in the race to sign Marseille striker Robinio Vaz and have begun negotiations, with an offer currently on the table for January.
The Blues’ interest in signing a new striker is perhaps due to Liam Delap’s slow start at Stamford Bridge, most recently failing to find the back of the net in the 2-0 win over Burnley and being replaced in the second half by Maro Gusto.
Michael Owen also criticized some aspects of the striker’s performance, saying: “I think he needs to be a little more selfish in this situation, but he probably could have made a few passes.
“If he puts this ball in (to Pedro Neto) and makes a run to get the defender, he’s going to be left one-on-one with Neto in this area. I think he has to do that instead of being a little selfish and thinking about scoring himself. He takes a pot shot from 25 yards, which is not great.”
In the end, Enzo Maresca’s side won regardless, but the 22-year-old, who has yet to open his account since moving to west London, performed poorly once again, and there are plans to sign a new centre-forward in the January transfer window.
Caught Offside reports that Chelsea have begun negotiations to sign Marseille striker Vaz, having made contact with the French club and the 18-year-old’s agent ahead of a potential move in January.
The Blues are exploring the possibility of signing the youngster permanently this winter and are ahead of London rivals Arsenal in the race, with the Gunners taking a more patient approach.
The deal is relatively affordable, with the Ligue 1 side aiming for €20m to €30m (£18m to £26m), but he has already rejected offers from unknown European clubs and is in no rush to cash in.
The Frenchman has been a breakout star for Marseille this season, missing just one game in Ligue 1 before becoming a regular in the first team, scoring four goals and providing two assists in 12 appearances.
Scout Ben Mattinson also clearly believes the starlet has a lot of potential and named him highly when outlining his key strengths at X back in February.
Vaz could be a star of the future, but given their chances of winning the Premier League title, Chelsea could also bring in a striker with a little more experience in January rather than another youngster.
Enzo Maresca pushes for Chelsea move with £79m Premier League star
Enzo Maresca pushes for ‘incredible’ £79m Premier League star to move to Chelsea
The Italian is looking to sign a new defender who is believed to fit ideally into his system.
