Chelsea Reportedly Target Roma's Edin Dzeko After Andy Carroll Injury

Chelsea are reportedly eyeing a move for AS Roma striker Edin Dzeko after £20 million target Andy Carroll was ruled out for four weeks with an ankle injury. 

According to MailOnline's Simon Jones and Matt Maltby, in their search for a new back-up striker to replace Michy Batshuayi, Chelsea are planning a £40 million double move for Dzeko and Roma team-mate Emerson Palmieri, a left-back.

Per Jones and Maltby, Roma's preference would be to not let Dzeko go, but Chelsea are prepared to offer them Batshuayi on loan as part of the deal.

However, the Serie A outfit are holding out for more money, per Sky Italy (via Sky Sports' Kaveh Solhekol):

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte has never shown much faith in Batshuayi, who joined the Blues in the summer of 2016.

The Belgium international has been granted just three Premier League starts in his time at Stamford Bridge, and it seems clear he is headed for the exit.

Alvaro Morata is the first-choice No. 9 at Chelsea, but there is little cover for him, and the west London outfit have been linked with a number of targets who could bolster their striking ranks.

West Ham United's Carroll looked to be the Blues' principal target before he picked up an injury, while Jones and Maltby also linked the English champions with Stoke City's Peter Crouch, Tottenham Hotspur's Fernando Llorente and Crystal Palace's Christian Benteke.

Dzeko is the best of the strikers on Chelsea's radar. He netted 29 goals and provided nine assists in the Italian top flight last term and has returned nine goals and three assists in 2017-18.

He also has the physicality Chelsea seem to be looking for and boasts Premier League experience, having spent four-and-a-half seasons with Manchester City between 2011 and 2016.