It has become apparent that Chelsea are actively looking to shake up their striking options, with Watford forward Odion Ighalo among a list of potential names that could arrive at Stamford Bridge.
The 26-year-old has taken the Premier League by storm, with the Nigerian international carrying on from a wonderful 2015 in which he scored thirty goals, with a number of strong performances that have seen the big teams sit up and take notice of his attributes.
Ighalo has proven himself to be a deadly finisher in the 18-yard area, but there is much more to his game than merely being in the right place at the right time. He utilises his considerable power and frame to bring others into play, and although Ighalo has the element of selfishness that all good strikers should have, his wonderful understanding with strike partner Troy Deeney has been instrumental in Watford’s rise to the top flight.
Now fourteen goals have put Ighalo firmly in the race for the Premier League Golden Boot, with Coral backing him amongst the frontrunners at 15/2. Watford’s recent inconsistencies have also coincided with Ighalo missing from the scoresheet, hopefully soon to change with a first half goal yesterday against Newcastle. Although a deal to bring the striker to Stamford Bridge during the January transfer window appears unlikely, I would love to see Ighalo arrive at Chelsea in the summer.
Guus Hiddink may have to act quickly in his pursuit of more firepower, with Diego Costa’s bruised foot potentially leaving us with Loic Remy as our only fit recognised striker. It leaves us with a big problem if Costa does not recover in time to face Arsenal, and may make the upcoming FA Cup trip to MK Dons trickier than we imagined. Pundits may take a cynical view and believe they’re a better FA Cup bet than we are, especially with Coral placing us as joint-favourites despite our forgettable season. It has dawned on Hiddink that we need more strikers, but if we have to wait to sign Ighalo, I believe it would be worthwhile.
It may be getting carried away, but I can see why some people may make comparisons between Ighalo and Didier Drogba. The latter arrived as a rough diamond from Chelsea and blossomed into one of the best players ever to pull on the blue shirt, with his power, strength and scoring ability instrumental in the club’s success. It would be fantastic news if Drogba decided to return as assistant manager, and who better for Ighalo to learn from than a fellow African striker who achieved so much. I would back us to fare much better next season on any football betting site if we bring players of Ighalo’s quality to the club – he may not be the big name that we have become accustom to signing over the years, but Ighalo has certainly proved he has Premier League pedigree that we could do with.
