According to The Express, Chelsea have identified Gabriel Barbosa as their top January target as Frank Lampard looks to sign a new forward. Gabriel Barbosa, 23, an Inter Milan-flop turned Flamengo-star, has been a regular for Jorge Jesus’ side since his move to the club on a loan spell.
In the recently concluded 2019 season, he scored 34 goals in 41 games for Flamengo and set up 11 for his team. He has been in red-hot form in the Brazilian Serie A. His two goals in the Copa Libertadores final caught the eyes of Lampard, according to the report. Lampard enjoyed a promising start to his managerial career at Stamford Bridge but the recent performances show that he needs to spend this month to strengthen his squad.
Despite the youngsters showing huge potential, the lack of experience has been an issue. They have tasted defeats at the hands of struggling teams like Southampton, Bournemouth and West Ham earlier.
Olivier Giroud and Michy Batshuayi have hardly got game time after failing to convince the manager and this has left Tammy Abraham to get the job done on his own. The youngster has been outstanding so far but he has been a victim of injuries in recent times. Therefore, Lampard must prioritize a new striker, who can take the pressure off Abraham and share the duties equally. In that regard, Gabriel Barbosa would be ideal for the Blues.
Predominantly a centre-forward, Barbosa is capable of playing on the wing and as a second-striker too. He has been more productive in front of the goal this season and seems to have regained his goalscoring touch, which he lacked completely while at Inter Milan.
The Brazil international has registered 1 key pass, 4 shots, and 1.3 dribbles per game in Brasileirao according to Whoscored, but what makes him more effective is his ability to play on the shoulders of the last man and also drop deep to link up the play.
The 23-year-old is technically brilliant, a fine dribbler and a good passer. The knack of scoring regularly has made him a focal point for the attack. He would surely bring those qualities and bolster Chelsea’s attack if the deal goes through. His presence would also provide some healthy competition to other attackers and this would be a good sign for the team, which needs improvement. In the video below, one can see Barbosa’s qualities as a finisher and someone who can link up well with teammates.