There is one week left of the transfer window- Is the Newcastle United hitman the solution at Stamford Bridge?
There are no guarantees in football.
Even if at a price of £50 million you would have expected Fernando Torres to provide a surefire route to goals.
So there is nothing to guarantee that if Chelsea took this ‘quick-fix’ option of selling Torres to sign Ba, it would end happily.
Pundit Stan Collymore put the opinion out on his radio show, that Chelsea should take a £25 million hit on the Spanish forward, and sell him for that same figure, and sign a cut-price Demba Ba in his place.
Let us state now, we are far from convinced ourselves that this will happen, but the suggestion certainly has logic.
We use ‘logic’ loosely, yes Ba would seem to be a more likely source of goals at present, but to backtrack, Collymore’s finances don’t add up.
Sure, this deal would mean an £18 million saving, but it would also mean Chelsea taking a £25 million loss on their original £50 million spend on Torres.
Torres was unlucky against Norwich City on Saturday, out of all Chelsea’s efforts he came closest, but ‘close’ is no longer good for even the most patient of blues fans after 12 months of disappointment.
If they were to get rid now, it is inevitable that he would go on to score several goals. So without wanting to get bit themselves, they would have to sell him to a foreign club such as PSG.
It could still happen, PSG are after a marquee signing, former boss Carlo Ancelotti is also there, and the French club have money they were almost willing to spend on Carlos Tevez.
So is Demba Ba the answer?
Well he is certainly man of the moment, and scorer of 15 goals this season. Would he guarantee goals at Chelsea?
As we earlier warned, there are no guarantees.
Clubs have been put off signing Ba previously because of old knee injuries. Wouldn’t it just be Chelsea’s luck that they sell Torres, sign Ba, and he breaks down injured.
Despite Ba’s reported £7 million release clause, we don’t feel that Chelsea’s need to sell Torres is a necessity.
There is still time for him to come good, and no rush for Chelsea to give up on him.
If they want Ba they should go for him regardless, but time is running out to make a move.
With the African Nations Cup already underway, they may have left it too late.
We recommend Ba stays at Newcastle, to enjoy his strike partnership with new teammate Papiss Cisse.
But Roman Abramovich pushed the panic button when he signed Torres one year ago.
With Chelsea looking borderline to regain entry to the Champions League will he do it again?
– Do Chelsea fans feel signing Ba would be the right move?
image: © Wshjackson
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