Chelsea Transfers: 6 Possible Strikers to Be Paired with Fernando Torres
Roman Abramovich shocked the footballing world when he opened his pocketbook to splash £50 million on an out-of-form Fernando Torres.
Since his arrival, Torres has received abuse and has been much-criticized for his seeming lack of impact, his difficulty to successfully link up with his new teammates and his high-profile goal drought.
Torres has to be the man that the Blues build their team around next season and with Torres' apparent inability to link up with Drogba or Anelka, Chelsea need to dip into the transfer market to find a suitable partner.
Here are six potential players that could form a lethal combination with the most expensive man in English football in 2011-12.
Sergio Aguero
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Torres has so far been unable to forge an effective partnership with either Nicholas Anelka or Didier Drogba.
So why not bring in a player who has played with Torres before at Athletico Madrid and has a fantastic future ahead of him?
Aguero has been compared to Lionel Messi, and for the past four seasons has never failed to break the 20-goal barrier in all competitions.
His mercurial dribbling ability, uncanny striker's instinct, and his diminutive link-up play make him Athetico's most valuable asset.
He has been deserving of a big money move for some time now, and this could be the year for "El Kun" to finally make his mark in the Premier League.
Carlos Tevez
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There have been rumors for months that the Manchester City captain is unhappy and wants to leave.
There are not many clubs that could afford to pay the undoubtedly hefty transfer fee on top of the astronomical weekly wages.
But Tevez has been linked with Chelsea in the past, and it would make a nice change for the fans that are used to lack of desire and effort on the part of their attackers (Nicholas Anelka or Florent Malouda).
Tevez never fails to commit 100 percent to the cause, and he will close down defenses all match long.
But on top of his unbelievable work rate, the Argentine is also a sensationally gifted footballer.
Tevez and Torres in partnership would be a force to be reckoned with for Premier League defenses.
Romelu Lukaku
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This man has been labelled the new Didier Drogba and with Chelsea's Ivory Coast forward potentially looking for a way out of Stamford Bridge, Lukaku could be the ideal replacement.
The fact that he has never competed in a major European league could be a drawback, but Lukaku's goal record speaks for itself.
At the tender age of 18, he has already netted 41 goals in two seasons with Anderlecht.
He is pacy, powerful and he has that uncanny striker's instinct that is so important.
Chelsea are notoriously bad at developing young players, but if Lukaku was given a run in the first team, then he could blossom.
On paper, the Drogba-Torres partnership appears unstoppable, but the problem seems to be a clash of egos. Lukaku is a viable alternative as his relative youth should keep his feet firmly on the ground.
He is very much in demand, but Chelsea should be expected to win any race for his signature.
Neymar
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The Brazilian sensation has been making headlines all year for Santos, both for his footballing prowess and his off-the-pitch antics.
He has similar characteristics to Mario Balotelli, and the Brazilian national team have already dropped hints that Neymar is the future.
This explosive striker cannot stop scoring in South America, and although he has the potential to be a loose cannon, Neymar is someone that would be worth an investment.
His sensational close control and exceptional ability to run defenses ragged could be the perfect foil for Torres' explosive pace and finishing ability.
Daniel Sturridge
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While Chelsea struggles to find the net towards the end of the season, Daniel Sturridge, who was loaned out to Bolton, could not stop scoring.
But instead of giving him a run in the first team, Chelsea loaned him out to another Premier League club just as they have done with youngsters in the past.
Sturridge has shown real promise, but the chances of him making the grade at Chelsea are slim based on what has happened to the likes of Scott Sinclair and Franco Di Santo. They are loaned out year after year, and then they are sold.
Chelsea has produced some decent youngsters in the Abramovich era, but the club remains poor at establishing these players as first-team regulars in the way Arsenal and Manchester United have done with the likes of Jack Wilshere and Chris Smalling.
Daniel Sturridge has real potential and out of the current strikers on the books, he is the most likely to make it work with Torres.
Luka Modric
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Torres has historically been at his best when utilized up front on his own with close support from an attacking midfielder like Steven Gerrard.
This did not work last season as Malouda and Anelka tended to drift wide or deep, leaving Torres in an isolated position.
But an attacking midfielder like Luka Modric, who is adept at finding space in between the midfield and the attack, could be the ideal playmaker to create chances for "El Niño."
Tottenham have shown reluctance to sell him, but the dynamic Croatian midfielder has already dropped hints that his future lies away from White Hart Lane.
Modric, while not an out and out striker, could be the perfect player to get the best out of Torres if Roman Abramovich decides to splash the cash.
