Chelsea Transfer News: Jackson Martinez on 4-Man Striker Shortlist, Top Rumours

Jackson Martinez is among a reported four-man shortlist of strikers that Chelsea could look to sign in January following manager Guus Hiddink's concession that the Blues are short of depth up front.

According to the Times' Matt Hughes, the defending Premier League champions are "considering making bids" for the Atletico Madrid forward, Leicester City's Jamie Vardy and West Bromwich Albion's Saido Berahino.

Meanwhile, the report also indicated that the unattached Emmanuel Adebayor could be brought in on a "short-term deal" should the Blues still be short on strikers come the end of the winter window.

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Hiddink recently hinted that he is worried about the current dearth of strikers at Stamford Bridge, with Loic Remy and Diego Costa the Dutchman's only fit options at the moment, per David Hytner in the Guardian:

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We are thinking. We have to have good competition, good double occupation in every position. When there is good shape and the double occupation is there, then we are OK but we must not go into this danger when something happens with one or two strikers. I don’t deny that it would be a concern if Costa or Rémy were injured.

I am thinking. And it’s not good talk when you are thinking in this case because, why shall we go public? If, suppose something is going on, it can be harmful when you go public. Theoretically; that’s what I’m saying at the moment.

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Radamel Falcao remains on Chelsea's books, despite reports from Matt Law of the Telegraph that he may return to parent club Monaco early. However, he is currently sidelined with a thigh injury and hasn't shown a hint of form in more than a year-and-a-half.

Martinez only moved to Atleti in the summer following three prolific seasons at Porto in which he had an impressive scoring record of 92 goals in 132 appearances, per Sky Sports' Nick Lustig.

However, the 29-year-old Colombian has struggled at the Vicente Calderon this term, netting just twice in 14 La Liga appearances, per WhoScored.com.

It is a similar story with Berahino, 22, who has previously shown flashes of quality but has been largely anonymous for West Brom in the current campaign.

The same cannot be said for Vardy, who has enjoyed a breakout season in 2015-16, netting 15 league goals as the Foxes have defied expectations, per WhoScored.

However, Bleacher Report's Dean Jones recently insisted that Leicester would not let the Englishman go in January, and Chelsea will likely have to look elsewhere:

Martinez could be a fantastic buy if he could replicate the form he showed at Porto. But there is no guarantee of that given his poor return at Atleti. It is also unlikely that the La Liga side will be prepared to sell him on so soon after signing him.

If the Blues think they can snap him up, though, Hiddink must be sure that he can get the best out of him, as, at 29, he would be a risky signing.

But as risks go, signing Martinez would be nothing to bringing in Adebayor who, while talented, has been hugely inconsistent in the past.

The Togolese must be seen by Chelsea as an absolute last resort and, even then, he may not be worth the trouble even if he could add a goal or two.