Chelsea have been told to break the bank to re-sign Diego Costa rather than move for Gonzalo Higuain or Karim Benzema.
The Blues made a fine start to the 2018-19 season under Maurizio Sarri but have fallen ten points adrift of Premier League leaders Liverpool following the festive period.
Eden Hazard has contributed ten of Chelseas 38 league goals this season, with strikers Alvaro Morata and Olivier Giroud enduring difficult periods in front of goal.
That has led to speculation that Sarri will try to sign a striker this month, with the Blues linked with moves for Higuain and Benzema.
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But Peter Crouch believes Chelsea should instead look into re-signing Spain international Costa, who left Stamford Bridge last year.
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Chelsea have scored the fewest goals of the top six sides, Crouch said in a column for the Daily Mail.
A return of 38 from 21 matches isnt enough to win you a title, no matter how good your defence is.
The one thing you need is someone to score you 30 goals and they do not have a player like Harry Kane, Mo Salah or Sergio Aguero.
Not so long ago, they did. Diego Costa would absolutely transform Chelseas fortunes and, if it was down to me, Id break the bank to re-sign him.
You can talk about Gonzalo Higuain or Karim Benzema, but I think Costa would be the one to take Chelsea where they want to be.
There was something about the way Costas career finished at Stamford Bridge that doesnt sit right. I know there were huge problems between him and Antonio Conte, but even so, it seemed like they didnt put up any kind of fight to keep him.
Costa scored 59 goals in 120 appearances for Chelsea, helping the club win two Premier League titles and the FA Cup before returning to Atletico Madrid.
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The Spaniard clashed with Conte and the former Blues boss told him via text that he did not have a future at Stamford Bridge and would be sold.
But Crouch believes Chelsea may be in a better position had they not let Costa go.
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Costa is a striker with everything and someone I used to study at great length, he added.
Yes, he is a good bit younger than me, but in this profession you can never stop learning and I would watch footage of him — and Kane, for that matter — to see how it could help me.
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Some might not like his aggressive style but to see him play is compelling.
Ryan Shawcross, my team-mate at Stoke, said he used to love facing Costa as he knew from the first minute it would be a fight and he would be taken to the limits physically. Costa gave it, but he could also take it.
He could also score. When Chelsea won the title in 2015 under Jose Mourinho, Costa was formidable. He was even better in 2017 when Conte turned them into champions again.
Had he been available to Sarri for 2019, who knows what might have happened?
More: Football
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Chelsea have been told to break the bank to re-sign Diego Costa rather than move for Gonzalo Higuain or Karim Benzema.
The Blues made a fine start to the 2018-19 season under Maurizio Sarri but have fallen ten points adrift of Premier League leaders Liverpool following the festive period.
Eden Hazard has contributed ten of Chelseas 38 league goals this season, with strikers Alvaro Morata and Olivier Giroud enduring difficult periods in front of goal.
That has led to speculation that Sarri will try to sign a striker this month, with the Blues linked with moves for Higuain and Benzema.
More: Football
But Peter Crouch believes Chelsea should instead look into re-signing Spain international Costa, who left Stamford Bridge last year.
Advertisement Advertisement
Chelsea have scored the fewest goals of the top six sides, Crouch said in a column for the Daily Mail.
A return of 38 from 21 matches isnt enough to win you a title, no matter how good your defence is.
The one thing you need is someone to score you 30 goals and they do not have a player like Harry Kane, Mo Salah or Sergio Aguero.
Not so long ago, they did. Diego Costa would absolutely transform Chelseas fortunes and, if it was down to me, Id break the bank to re-sign him.
You can talk about Gonzalo Higuain or Karim Benzema, but I think Costa would be the one to take Chelsea where they want to be.
There was something about the way Costas career finished at Stamford Bridge that doesnt sit right. I know there were huge problems between him and Antonio Conte, but even so, it seemed like they didnt put up any kind of fight to keep him.
Costa scored 59 goals in 120 appearances for Chelsea, helping the club win two Premier League titles and the FA Cup before returning to Atletico Madrid.
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
The Spaniard clashed with Conte and the former Blues boss told him via text that he did not have a future at Stamford Bridge and would be sold.
But Crouch believes Chelsea may be in a better position had they not let Costa go.
Advertisement Advertisement
Costa is a striker with everything and someone I used to study at great length, he added.
Yes, he is a good bit younger than me, but in this profession you can never stop learning and I would watch footage of him — and Kane, for that matter — to see how it could help me.
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
Some might not like his aggressive style but to see him play is compelling.
Ryan Shawcross, my team-mate at Stoke, said he used to love facing Costa as he knew from the first minute it would be a fight and he would be taken to the limits physically. Costa gave it, but he could also take it.
He could also score. When Chelsea won the title in 2015 under Jose Mourinho, Costa was formidable. He was even better in 2017 when Conte turned them into champions again.
Had he been available to Sarri for 2019, who knows what might have happened?
More: Football
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