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Transfers
Could Chelsea move for Atletico Madrid’s Yannick Carrasco to bolster their attacking options?
Reports surfacing from Spain over the past day have suggested that Chelsea boss Antonio Conte is set to turn to Atletico Madrid to try and solve his striking woes, by offering Yannick Carrasco a move.
have claimed that the Premier League champions are considering offering the Belgian international a big-money five-year deal at Stamford Bridge, with the guarantee of first-team action.
And with Italian reports on Monday claiming that the Blues are set to miss out on prime target Alvaro Morata – as per – they could now look at Carrasco as an alternative.
Would Carrasco be able to adapt to the Premier League?
The 23-year-old Belgian international has quietly impressed in La Liga since arriving from Monaco two-years ago, working his way into the starting eleven after impressing manager Diego Simeone.
Incredibly agile in the final third and able to come up with an impressive turn of pace to burst beyond a defender’s challenge, Carrasco certainly has the attributes needed to succeed in England.
Although he doesn’t have the stature and physical presence of Diego Costa leading the line, it doesn’t mean that he’s a pushover at all – if anything, he puts himself about just as much up front.
But what might prick Conte’s interest the most is the young forward’s ability to work hard on the pitch, having the necessary stamina to be at the top of his game for 90 minutes. In addition to that, he is a striker that works hard for his teammates to unselfishly pull men away and create space.
Despite arguably being the third-choice striker at Atletico last year, behind Antoine Griezmann and perennial Premier League striker Fernando Torres, he still managed ten La Liga goals in 35 matches.
Four goals for Belgium in 19 international caps also shows that he can deliver on the biggest stage, netting his first goal in the 2014 World Cup, and England would be a challenge that he would relish.
Carrasco’s future at Atletico Madrid has been thrown into jeopardy recently too; Chelsea’s Diego Costa, as per the , is pining for a return to his former side, whilst Antoine Griezmann’s and the impending arrival of Sevilla’s Vitolo could push him deep down the order.
With this in mind, and with claiming in their report that Carrasco is currently considering moving to the Premier League, this could be a transfer story that continues to grow bigger in stature.