Conte’s on the hunt for a striker.
Chelsea are reportedly considering a move for Crystal Palace striker Christian Benteke as Antonio Conte looks to replace Michy Batshuayi in the January transfer window.
According to the Daily Telegraph, Conte has lost patience with Batshuayi after another poor performance at the weekend, and has drawn up a list of attacking players to target for the winter.
SEE ALSO:
Chelsea legend controversially advises Blues ace to seal transfer to Premier League rivals
Barcelona flop could be set for exit, Premier League boss holds talk with club over potential transfer
Watch: David Luiz shows he’s born to play in midfield with stunning opening goal for Chelsea vs Roma
Batshuayi was ineffective for Chelsea during their 2-1 defeat to Crystal Palace last weekend and has had a difficult time at Stamford Bridge since arriving to London from Marseille last summer.
The 24-year-old is yet to score a league goal for the Blues this term and spent the majority of last season playing second fiddle to Diego Costa, while he is now behind summer signing Alvaro Morata in the pecking order.
Benteke, however, would be a surprise choice to replace Batshuayi if the latter were to leave Stamford Bridge, as he hardly looked like a top-six level player at his single season with Liverpool in 2015/16.
The former Aston Villa front-man is currently at Crystal Palace where he has struggled with injuries. However, he played a vital role in Palace’s campaign to avoid relegation last season, registering 15 goals in the league alone.
The Telegraph add that Chelsea looked into signing Fernando Llorente before he ended up at Tottenham, with Batshuayi likely to have gone out on loan if the Spaniard’s signature had been secured.
Benteke could fill a similar role for the Premier League champions if he is brought in, though it’s questionable if he’d be a significant upgrade on Batshuayi.