More than most clubs, Chelsea have had some truly world-class players play for them in the Premier League era.
The likes of John Terry, Frank Lampard, Eden Hazard and Petr Cech would all get into the Blues’ current side without any trouble at all.
However, perhaps the former legend who’d make the most significant impact on Liam Rosenior’s team would be Didier Drogba.
The Ivorian international was a true monster up top, and the good news for the new manager is that it looks like Chelsea are planning to sign someone who’d be their best striker since Drogba.
Chelsea target their best centre-forward since Drogba
When it comes to the most impactful Chelsea players of all time, it’s impossible not to have Drogba pretty high up that list.
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The former Marseille forward joined the Blues in the summer of 2004 and over the following eight years cemented himself as a legend.
By the time he left the club for a second and final time in the summer of 2015, he did so with a monster tally of 164 goals and 82 assists in 381 appearances, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.54.
He also had a habit of scoring in the big games, with none bigger than the 2012 Champions League final.
In all, Drogba remains arguably the Blues’ greatest ever striker, and now the club are planning to sign someone who could be their best since the Ivorian legend.
At least that is according to a recent report from Spain, which claims Chelsea are very interested in signing Julian Alvarez.
In fact, the report goes further, revealing that the West Londoners want to make the Argentine the fulcrum of their frontline and are prepared to spend 150m this summer to do so, which would amount to a club-record £130m.
The report states that while it’s unclear what Atlético Madrid’s response to such an offer will be, the sum is so vast that it’ll be almost impossible to turn it down.
It would be a massive investment from Chelsea, but Alvarez is the sort of player who could transform their attack and be their best striker since Drogba.
Why Alvarez would be Chelsea's best CF since Drogba
Now, while Chelsea have made a couple of good striker signings since Drogba, like Diego Costa and Olivier Giroud, they’ve made plenty of poor ones.
However, even if the Blues had a better array of strikers since the Ivorian legend left, there is still a strong chance that Alvarez could become their best.
The first reason for this is the simple yet crucial fact that he’s a goalscoring machine.
For example, last season, his first with the Madrid side, the Calchín-born superstar racked up a sensational tally of 29 goals and eight assists in just 57 appearances, totalling 3967 minutes.
That came out to a brilliant average of a goal involvement every 1.54 games, or more impressively, every 107.21 minutes.
Then this season, even though the team are having a slightly tougher time of things, he has scored 11 goals and provided five assists in 25 appearances, totalling 1924 minutes.
In other words, he is averaging a goal involvement every 1.56 games, or every 120.25 minutes, which helps justify journalist Roy Neymer’s claim that he’s “the best forward in the world.”
Alvarez’s recent form
Season
24/25
25/26
Appearances
57
25
Starts
47
24
Minutes
3967′
1924′
Goals
29
11
Assists
8
5
Goal Involvements per Match
0.64
0.64
Minutes per Goal Involvement
107.21′
120.25′
All Stats via Transfermarkt
The second reason the Blues should go all out for the 25-year-old is that he’s already Premier League proven.
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For example, during his two years with Manchester City, he scored 36 goals and provided 19 assists in 103 appearances, totalling 6007 minutes.
That means that, despite having to play second fiddle to Erling Haaland at points, the Argentine international still managed to average a goal involvement every 1.87 games, or every 109.21 minutes.
Finally, something else he could bring to Rosenior’s squad is experience, and more importantly, experience of winning the biggest prizes.
This know-how could prove hugely beneficial for the talented but young squad the Blues have built.
Ultimately, even though he’d cost an arm and a leg, Chelsea should push ahead with their plan to sign Alvarez, as he could become their best striker since Drogba.
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