Chelsea assistant manager Gianfranco Zola has revealed the club's interest in Bournemouth striker Callum Wilson in light of their current strikeforce woes.
The Italian was speaking in lieu of Maurizio Sarri ahead of the EFL Cup quarter final clash with the Cherries. His side's concerns up top have been well documented, with Sarri opting to play Eden Hazard in a quasi-false nine role in recent games as opposed to persevering with the out-of-form pair of Alvaro Morata and Olivier Giroud.
And Zola, as quoted by Sky Sports, is all too aware that this kind of situation leads to rumours of new additions, conceding: "I'm sure that there are a lot of players that are linked with us."
He then cited Wilson as a prime example, even actively proclaiming Chelsea's interest in the forward: "Certainly Callum Wilson is doing very well for his club and he is of interest, not just for us, but for many.
"He's strong, fast, and he sees the goal. I like him because he's quick, but also strong in the air, which is a very important quality.
"But I don't want to go too much into it. He's doing very well. I'm pleased for him. He has a lot of qualities that can take him a long way."
Clearly, the Stamford Bridge scouts and hierarchy will get a good look at Wilson, who has nine goals and six assists across all competitions this season, when they welcome him for Wednesday night's Carabao Cup clash.
An impressive performance could tempt the Blues to make an audacious bid to sign him in January, but it's unlikely that Eddie Howe will want to part company with his prized asset halfway through the season.
The England international joined Howe's side in 2014 from Coventry in a deal worth around £3m, and has scored 47 league goals in 121 appearances on the south coast.
Source : 90min