Edin Dzeko is exactly the kind of striker Chelsea need to sign

Chelsea are on the verge of signing Edin Dzeko.

At least that is what the latest reports indicated, as the reigning Premier League champions and AS Roma were close to reach an agreement for the Bosnia international. However, recent news confirmed both sides have not agreed yet on the contract bonuses. There should be news quite soon, and the worldwide expectation is that the former Manchester City striker will arrive to Stamford Bridge sooner than later.

This potential deal has risen a few doubters, too. Chelsea already have Alvaro Morata and Michy Batshuayi on the squad. Why adding another striker when they already have two perfectly capable ones in a team that uses just one? And the answer is quite simple. Manager Antonio Conte wants a specific player to fulfill a speficic role.

One could imagine Morata is the perfect target man, but the reality is that the Spaniard does not really thrive on that role. Morata might be a competent striker and certainly a productive one, but he tends to move in and out of the box. He can drift back and combine with the midfielders as well, as he tends to help in the creation of chances. No one should doubt Morata’s scoring ability even if his numbers are not the best this season. But he is not exactly what Conte wants. Batshuayi could be a better option, but the former Marseille star has not been able to settle in England. In fact, there are big chances that he will go out on loan during the current transfer window.

As such, Chelsea need to buy a new player to fulfill Conte’s wishes. And Dzeko fills the bill perfectly.

The Bosnia international knows the Premier League since he already spent time with Manchester City. He is also on top form, as he has cemented his place as a top striker in the world. And the numbers back him, since he was the top scorer in the Serie A last season with 29 goals in 37 matches. And he scored a huge goal against Chelsea in the UEFA Champions League earlier this season. Dzeko is an in-form, on-his-prime player who is ready to take another chance in the Premier League. He has nothing left to prove in the Serie A anymore. Jumping to the EPL seems like the most logical choice now.

The problem lies on the contract negotiations, though. Chelsea and Roma have not reached an agreement yet. And a report from Gianluca di Marzio indicated that the deal will be either closed or discarded after Roma’s game against Sampdoria on Wednesday. If Chelsea want to keep their Champions League ambitions alive, they should give Roma what they want. And pay Dzeko what he wants as well. Conte has not been able to sign anyone during the current transfer period, and the direct rivals have strengthened considerably. Manchester United signed Alexis Sanchez. Arsenal signed Henrikh Mkhitaryan. And both Tottenham and Manchester City have been active on the market.

Chelsea need Dzeko, and the Bosnian needs The Blues to prove he can play at the top level. This move makes too much sense not to happen. And frankly, the former City and Wolfsburg star is exactly the kind of player they need.

Dzeko can hold up the ball between the defenders, finish plays in a variety of ways, and has improved his positioning over the past few years. If he has learned anything from his time in the Serie A, it’s tactical awareness. He seems to move far better than what he used to do when he played for City. And that intelligence will combine beautifully on a team that has clinical passers such as Eden Hazard, Willian and Pedro rotating upfront. His ability to always find the right space inside the box will do wonders for a Chelsea side that has depended heavily on Morata thus far.

The fit is there, and the interest is there as well. Now both teams need to reach an agreement so the move can be completed as soon as possible. As we stated above, it just makes too much sense to not happen in the coming days.