Jason Cundy has urged Chelsea to sign ‘Premier League-ready’ Julian Alvarez and loan out a £30m signing this summer.
Chelsea are one in every of a variety of clubs who’ve reportedly expressed interest in signing Alvarez from Atletico Madrid.
The 26-year-old forward, a World Cup winner with Argentina, has scored 40 goals in 88 appearances for Atletico.
Before joining the Spanish giants, Alvarez spent two seasons at Manchester City, helping the Sky Blues win two Premier League titles, the Champions League and the FA Cup.
Chelsea, Arsenal and Barcelona have all been linked with Alvarez and former Stamford Bridge defender Cundy insists he could be an excellent signing for the Blues.
‘After we discuss what Chelsea need, we regularly discuss an off the peg kind of player,’ Cundy told talkSPORT. ‘Julian Alvarez matches that kind of player that we’d like.
‘That’s the kind of player I’d like us to sign more of. He’s Premier League ready. You’re not going to be waiting for somebody to adapt to the Premier League.
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‘There’s rather a lot to love about him, however it is numerous money.’
While Atletico Madrid don’t need to sell Alvarez, they may attempt to recoup the £82m they spent on the Argentine in the event that they are forced to strike a deal.
Chelsea spent almost £100m on two strikers last summer, signing Joao Pedro from Brighton and Liam Delap from Ipswich Town.
Pedro has enjoyed a good first season at Stamford Bridge, scoring 13 goals in all competitions, but Delap only has one Premier League goal.
Delap reached double figures for relegated Ipswich last season but has underwhelmed in west London since selecting to affix Chelsea over Manchester United.
‘My guess could be that perhaps Liam Delap goes on loan, that could be an option,’ said Cundy, who made 41 appearances for Chelsea.
‘He feels a bit raw, he’s had one season within the Premier League. Perhaps he must go and play every week.’
Cundy’s talkSPORT colleague Gabriel Agbonlahor has also been dissatisfied by Delap this season and believes he made a mistake joining Chelsea.
‘What I didn’t understand was Liam Delap on the best,’ the previous Aston Villa striker said after Chelsea’s Carabao Cup semi-final defeat to Arsenal.
‘I could play on the wing because I used to be quick but when one form of striker couldn’t play on the wing it’s Liam Delap.
‘He looked lost. He got the ball, he tried to tackle Hincapie, and lost it each time.
‘This isn’t working. I said when he joined Chelsea that I assumed he must have gone to a team like Everton.
‘Develop there for a few years after which make the massive move to a top-six side. I feel the jump from Ipswich to Chelsea was an excessive amount of.
‘Once I have a look at him as a striker, I like him – he can delay the ball well, he’s a very good finisher, but he just doesn’t look sharp enough for the highest level of the Premier League.
‘Someone like [Victor] Osimhen was the striker they need to have gone out and got.’
Delap was a late substitute in Chelsea’s disappointing 2-2 draw with Leeds United on Tuesday night.
Chelsea led by two goals through Pedro and Cole Palmer but Leeds staged a powerful second-half comeback to earn one other point of their battle to avoid the drop.
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