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da jogodeouro: Due to the sheer volume of players that Chelsea have contracted to the club, it’s natural that many players depart annually. What isn’t so inevitable is the players’ prospective success once they leave Stamford Bridge, and unfortunately for the Blues too many players have developed into world-class talents once they’ve left the west London outfit.
The prime examples would be Kevin De Bruyne and Mohamed Salah, who respectively have enjoyed tremendous progression since they opted to leave Chelsea, and resultedly are regarded among the best players in the world.
Seemingly, the Blues have learnt from their past mistakes, and when the departures of Bertrand Traore (to Lyon) and Nathan Ake (to Bournemouth) were authenticated before the start of last season, it was reported that both deals included buy-back clauses. Considering Chelsea’s current attacking predicament, and the ever-increasing reliance on Eden Hazard, a player of Bertrand Traore’s quality would be greatly appreciated at the club.
At the time of his departure the reported fee of £8.8m seemed far too insignificant for a player of his talent, and promise. Wherever the 23-year-old has played he has scored, and he’s almost attained half a century of caps for Burkina Faso, which is mightily impressive given his age.
During Chelsea’s slumbering title-defence in the 2015/16 season, Traore amassed four goals in 16 appearances, and he impressed with his intelligent movement, his pristine technical qualities and his dangerous mobility. His capacity to score and contribute meaningfully in the final third was highlighted before that breakthrough season, where he scored 20 goals in 51 appearances for Vitesse throughout a season-and-a-half loan spell.
In the previous three seasons he has maintained his attacking excellence, and he has scored 35 goals in 86 games since leaving Chelsea (13 of which were for Ajax during the 2016/17 campaign). One of the forward’s most notable assets is his versatility; he is competent when positioned as a striker or as a right-winger, which could be of exceeding benefit to Sarri’s favoured 4-3-3 formation.
In addition to his goalscoring exploits, Traore exudes a degree of selflessness when he takes to the pitch. His endeavours truly encapsulate the ethos of a team player, and in 43 appearances in all competitions for Lyon last season, Traore contributed towards 25 goals – scoring 18 and registering seven assists.
Furthermore, despite the new season being in its infancy, Traore has sustained this attacking proficiency, having contributed towards seven goals (five scored, two assists) in his opening 13 games of the new campaign. When you consider that Morata and Giroud have collectively contributed towards seven goals this term (three goals for Morata, four assists for Giroud) the potential utility of the Burkina Faso forward is brought into sharper focus.
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Sarri’s revered systems require technical excellence and players that can contribute meaningfully in the attacking phase. Olivier Giroud’s technical skills have been deployed to great effect since the Italian took charge of Chelsea in July. The Frenchman’s nigh-on telepathic relationship with Eden Hazard and his precise vision have often been integral to Chelsea’s build-up play, as is reflected in the number of assists that the 32-year-old has attained.
Nonetheless, to alleviate the creative pressure that Hazard occupies, the Blues require the services of a striker that can link-up play and contribute in the transitional phase, while also scoring frequently. Despite his best endeavours, and while the former Arsenal forward has been an exceedingly useful option for Sarri’s side, he has yet to open his account for the season.
In the form of Bertrand Traore, the Blues could have the consummate striker, a youthful and exuberant player that fulfils the requisites that derive from playing in Sarri’s fluid and highly-technical system. With the economic advantage of a buy-back clause, Chelsea would be foolish not to seize upon the opportunity to re-sign the forward.
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