5 Strikers Chelsea Could Target If Diego Costa Leaves

Chelsea striker Diego Costa could be on his way out of Stamford Bridge, according to reports.

Bleacher Report Insider Dean Jones reports that Costa "is fighting for his Chelsea future" amid the Blues' enduring poor start to the season. With Chelsea languishing near the bottom of the table, club scouts are reportedly on the lookout for new striking talent, throwing Costa's future into question.

So who could the Blues sign in January? We've compiled a list of five possibilities. Be sure to add your thoughts to the comments section.

Gonzalo Higuain

Salvatore Laporta/Associated Press

According to Cross' report, Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has made Napoli striker Gonzalo Higuain a long-term transfer target. However, it's unlikely the Argentine will be available until next summer.

That might be true, but if the Blues are desperate enough, a massive offer could persuade Napoli to sell. If that happens, Chelsea would be adding a classy striker to their ranks. Higuain has netted nine goals in 12 Serie A appearances so far this season and has scored 25 at the international level for Argentina. 

Bleacher Report's Christopher Simpson highlighted the differing fortunes of the two strikers this season:

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[Costa] has scored just three goals in 15 Blues appearances this season. By contrast, in the same number of games, Higuain has bagged an incredible 11. …

Like many Chelsea players, Costa's form has dipped sharply after an excellent season last year, where he racked up 20 goals.

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But is a move going to happen? Not likely, according to Higuain's agent.

"At the moment, we have faith that Gonzalo will stay at Napoli, with a team which is 100 per cent focused and can win something," said agent Nicolas Higuain, per the Express. "It seems strange, but the big clubs have not contacted me, nor have I spoken with anyone."

According to the Express, Higuain's buyout clause stands at £66 million.

Javier Hernandez

Martin Meissner/Associated Press

According to sources cited by ESPN FC's Peter O'Rourke, Chelsea have targeted Javier Hernandez and Paco Alcacer as potential signings. We'll get to Alcacer in a moment, but first we'll look at Hernandez.

Chicharito has enjoyed an upturn in form since leaving Manchester United for Bayer Leverkusen, scoring four goals in both the Bundesliga and UEFA Champions League (in 13 combined appearances). In all competitions, he has scored 12 goals in 19 appearances, per O'Rourke. 

The Mexican striker doesn't just offer goals for his club. He also brings economic considerations with him, according to Leverkusen CEO Michael Schade.

"He is a complete merchandise package," Schade said, per Joe Wright at Goal.com. "He is a legend in Mexico. The media hype he has created is unbelievable. He has exceeded all our expectations, for the Bayer company, too."

Paco Alcacer

Alberto Saiz/Associated Press

Valencia’s Paco Alcacer, right, celebrates with Eduardo Vargas from Chile after scoring against Basel during the Europa League quarterfinal, second leg soccer match at the Mestalla stadium in Valencia, Spain, on Thursday, April 10, 2014. Valencia lost 3-0

O'Rourke's report also mentions Alcacer, a 22-year-old Spain international striker who plays at the club level for Valencia.

According to WhoScored.com, Alcacer has scored five times in 10 La Liga appearances this season, adding five more goals for Spain in Euro 2016 qualification. In his report, O'Rourke writes that Alcacer is "regarded as one of the best young strikers in Europe."

Alcacer's scoring record for Spain is important because he is a rival of Costa's for a starting berth at the international level. On current form, the 22-year-old might be ahead of the more experienced Costa.

According to an October report from the Express, Chelsea would have to pay Valencia £50 million for Alcacer.

Antoine Griezmann

Francisco Seco/Associated Press

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich wants to sign Atletico Madrid forward Antoine Griezmann at the end of the season, according to Pete Jenson of the Daily Mail.

Griezmann, 24, scored 22 league goals in 2014-15, his first season with Atletico. Chelsea were interested last summer, according to Jenson, but a deal never happened. In response, however, Atletico reportedly increased the amount of Griezmann's buyout clause to €65 million.

Chelsea have dealt with Atletico in the past, signing Costa from the Liga outfit in 2014. In addition, Blues goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois spent three seasons in the Spanish capital, winning La Liga in 2013-14.

Didier Drogba

David Zalubowski/Associated Press

Could Didier Drogba really return to Chelsea for a third spell with the club?

According to the Sun's Andrew Dillon, a number of Chelsea players want Drogba to return to Stamford Bridge in January to give the club a boost in training. Dillon notes:

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Didier was always the man who kept spirits up. He can speak three or four languages and was on great terms with pretty much every different nationality in the whole squad. He was the one who used to post pictures of the players together on Instagram. He bought the gold rings for his team-mates to commemorate the Champions League win in 2012. A few players have spoken about how they miss him, and it would be great if he could come back to train and reignite the old spark.

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Training is not the same as signing Drogba full-time, but if it worked out, there's no telling what might happen. Drogba is a legendary figure at the club, and Chelsea could surely find a the necessary fee to sign him from the Montreal Impact of Major League Soccer.

Or is this all just wishful thinking?