Dixon doubts Chelsea will sign a striker

Chelsea legend Kerry Dixon does not believe the club will sign a striker as a short-term fix in the January transfer window.

Fernando Torres, Samuel Eto’o and Demba Ba have managed only 11 goals between them this season, but Chelsea have climbed up to third in the Premier League table and progressed to the last 16 of the Champions League.

And Dixon, who plundered 202 goals for the Blues between 1983 and 1992, told West London Sport: “Personally I still think they need another striker. They really could do with a 20-25-goal striker.

“There is a chance they will still make a signing. But if the right man is not available – and I am not sure he is – then they won’t buy for the sake of it.”

Eto’o grabbed a hat-trick in Sunday’s 3-1 win over Manchester United to double his league tally and now has a healthy six goals in eight league starts.

Torres, who is sidelined with a knee injury, has managed four goals in 11 top-flight starts but he has eight in total and has shown more consistency in recent weeks.

Ba has only started twice in the league, scoring once in a total of eight Premier League appearances.

“I don’t think any of the strikers have got to a level where they have made themselves the clear number one in that position,” Dixon added.

“I think Torres is probably still the number one, but Eto’o scored a hat-trick at the weekend and Torres is injured so Eto’o looks like the man in possession now.

“Against Manchester United, many – probably most – people thought that Torres would play but Jose Mourinho chose Eto’o and was proved right once again.

“The way things are at the moment it is a case of horses for courses and that creates competition for places and I think Ba will start against Stoke in the FA Cup on Sunday.

“No one knows who is number one. No one has really warranted it. Even a hat-trick for Eto’o doesn’t really clear it up.”

Follow West London Sport on Twitter
Find us on Facebook