Chelsea Transfer Targets’ Season So Far: Fedor Chalov

January is getting closer, and Chelsea are hoping to have their transfer ban lifted in time to secure some players to strengthen Frank Lampard’s squad. In this series we look at some of our reported targets and how their season so far is going.

After the household names – the Zahas and the Sanchos – linked with Chelsea this summer, there’s also been some lesser lights connected with a January move.

Step forward Fedor Chalov, the CSKA striker whose case is put forward by Sky Sports. He’s only the 9th top scorer in the Russian top flight this season, with 5 goals in 17 games. But clearly something he’s showing that’s attracting attention from outside his home country.

Perhaps that’s what makes him an interesting move for Chelsea. If we buy Timo Werner for €100m or something crazy, we’re almost compelled to put him in the team. With Chalov, we can keep Tammy Abraham as our number one and allow the young Russian to bed in gradually. There would be less pressure on him, and less on Frank Lampard to play him.

On the other hand, some fans aren’t going to be too impressed by his CV. We’ve not had the best luck buying Russian players before, and Roman Abramovich has a history of gambling on second rate players from his home country.

Could Chalov join the Zhirkov graveyard? Or could he actually establish himelf as Russian success story? We await January with baited breath. If Chalov can take his season up a notch in the meantime, the whole thing seems more feasible.

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