Chelsea will hope that Liam Delap can fire them to more silverware, but they face a bigger issue with their wingers.
That’s according to former Blues midfielder Emmanuel Petit ahead of another potentially hectic summer transfer window.
Delap is set to be unveiled as the latest striker signing at Chelsea in a £30million signing from Ipswich Town.
The 22-year-old will join a club who have struggled to bring the best out of strikers ever since they had Didier Drogba and Diego Costa.
Alvaro Morata, Kai Havertz and Romelu Lukaku are just some of the names to have fallen below expectations.
Delap could change their fortunes after his first full Premier League season in which he scored 12 goals despite relegation with Ipswich.
However, Petit has raised his concerns about another position that Chelsea must address despite their need for a striker like Delap.
“I don’t know if he will be the solution,” he said when asked about the England U21 star’s pending move on White and Jordan.
“I think for me, if you look at the top teams, actually, look at the wingers, Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona, those players.
“They make the difference all the time. For me, the biggest problem for Chelsea… Most people and the media, they are focussing on the no. 9.
“I think for me, the biggest problem is not the no. 9 at Chelsea, the biggest problem is the wingers.
“They are not bringing what you need to play and compete against the big teams in Europe and in the Premier League.
“I think they must get much more assists, much more goals as well, they have to be a bigger danger on the pitch.
“The way Chelsea play, if you don’t have those wingers to bring danger all the time, to put pressure on the defenders in their zone, forget it.
“You will always be focussing on the strikers, but the striker depends on the wingers as well.”
“They’ve tried. They forked out on [Mykhailo] Mudryk, [Raheem] Sterling, [Pedro] Neto, they’ve given it a go,” host Jim White said.
“They’re not good enough are they, in your eyes?”
“For me, they’re not good enough,” Petit replied. “They are good players, but I think there is something in their mind, they didn’t reach the next stage.
“People have been focussing for years now on a big no. 9, OK, no problem at all. But I think if I remember well, Chelsea have won the Champions League and Premier League title with a strong no. 9.
“But the wingers as well, they were amazing, and this is for me the biggest problem at Chelsea.”
Chelsea have an abundance of winger options on their books heading into the summer.
Sterling and Neto are joined by other talents including Noni Madueke, youngster Tyrique George in the incoming Estevao Willian.
Jadon Sancho was on loan at the Blues from Manchester United this season, although he will be at Stamford Bridge in the new campaign.
Chelsea had an obligation to buy the 25-year-old permanently for £25m but will instead pay a £5m penalty fee after failing to agree personal terms.
talkSPORT reported last month that Enzo Maresca’s side have entered talks with Borussia Dortmund regarding Jamie Gittens.
The former Manchester City academy winger has a contract until 2028 at the German club.
Chelsea could also eye a new goalkeeper this summer as they are understood to have approached AC Milan for Mike Maignan.
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