Chelsea ready a bid to sign £36m former Liverpool star as an alternative to Morata

Chelsea are interested in signing West Ham United striker Andy Carroll during this month’s transfer window, according to several reports. It has been a decent transfer window for the Blues so far, as Antonio Conte finally acquired the services of Ross Barkley from Everton, having failed to sign the midfielder in the summer of 2017.

But the signing of Barkley has not stopped Conte from thinking of strengthening the squad further and the Italian has set his sights on West Ham powerhouse Carroll. The Chelsea manager was left frustrated in Saturday’s 0-0 stalemate against Leicester City at Stamford Bridge as Alvaro Morata and co. failed to inspire the club against the 10-man visitors.

According to The Telegraph, Conte wants to add more depth to our squad this January and is eyeing the towering Carroll. Our gaffer remains firm in improving the squad further as we are participating in four competitions – Champions League, FA Cup, League Cup and the Premier League.

Morata has struggled to make an impact since returning from the injury and has now gone five games without a goal, while Eden Hazard, who has been substituted in each of the last four games he has started, is becoming a cause for concern.

Michy Batshuayi remains Morata’s cover but Conte has often overlooked the Belgian and continues to make it clear that he doesn’t see him as the right man to lead the club’s attack. This leaves Chelsea in search of a striker who can relieve the burden off Morata.

The report adds that the reigning Premier League champions are currently interested in taking Carroll on loan from West Ham United and that the Hammers are interested in taking Batshuayi on a loan exchange.

Carroll, who joined Liverpool in 2011 for £36m, has emerged as a shock name on the list of strikers Chelsea have held talks over and may yet prove to be the most realistic target this month. But the question remains – will the former Liverpool man solve our club’s attacking woes?

I would say yes. The England international may not be a stylish striker or an acute finisher, but his presence would be massive, despite him struggling for form of late. For all of Morata’s positioning and clever movement, the Spaniard is starting to feel the fatigue in his first season in England.

Thus, a move for the big Carroll makes sense as the West Ham target man would offer the Blues a ‘Plan B’ when things aren’t working out as planned.