Chelsea are reportedly contemplating whether to try to secure a reunion with Roma forward Tammy Abraham during the summer transfer window.
Abraham came through the Blues academy ranks to make 82 appearances in the first team, scoring 30 goals and providing 12 assists.
However, the England international fell out of favour under Thomas Tuchel and was subsequently allowed to sign for Roma in 2021 in a deal worth a reported £34 million.
Since then, the 25-year-old has produced similar figures at Stadio Olimpico, registering 34 strikes and 10 assists with Jose Mourinho as his manager.
While Abraham is a key player under the Portuguese and has a contract until 2026, Roma do not necessarily remain in a strong position to retain the frontman’s services.
Once Abraham has completed two full seasons at the Italian giants, a £68m buy-back clause for Chelsea is said to become active.
According to Football Insider, Chelsea could explore that option at the end of the 2022-23 campaign.
Chelsea’s struggles in front of goal have been well documented with just four strikes coming during their last 10 fixtures in all competitions.
Kai Havertz has failed to live up to his price-tag, Armando Broja is sidelined with a serious knee injury and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is expected to depart Stamford Bridge in the summer.
Although David Datro Fofana has recently moved to the West Londoners, it remains unclear whether he will remain as a senior option during 2023-24.
Despite the likelihood of Christopher Nkunku joining from RB Leipzig, the Frenchman will not be used as a traditional number nine, leaving Chelsea to look elsewhere.
The report suggested that Napoli’s Victor Osimhen is an alternative for Chelsea, although they are said to be skeptical about meeting a valuation of in excess of £100 million.
If Chelsea fail to qualify for Europe, club officials may also have to reconsider their intentions due to being required to meet FFP criteria with the Premier League.