• Premier League

Di Matteo: Any manager would love to have Falcao

ESPN staff
November 16, 2012
Radamel Falcao is always a devastating threat for Atletico Madrid © PA Photos
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Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo has acknowledged that he would love to have Atletico Madrid striker Radamel Falcao in his squad - before admitting that the club may bring in reinforcements in January.

Falcao, 26, has been strongly linked with a move to one of the biggest clubs in Europe after emerging as arguably the most dangerous strikers in the game while at Atletico - with Manchester City and Chelsea both repeatedly linked with a move for the Colombian.

And Di Matteo has now lent credence to some of those reports, by admitting that any manager would want a player of Falcao's quality available to him.

"If you ask any manager, he would have him in his team," Di Matteo said. "He is one of the best strikers, probably, in European and world football.

"His ratio of goals per game is quite impressive, not just this season but over the last three seasons, at Porto and Atletico Madrid."

While Chelsea are blessed with a variety of attacking options following a summer spending spree, Fernando Torres is arguably the only senior out-and-out striker on the club's books.

Daniel Sturridge and Victor Moses have deputised on occasions for the Spaniard this season but, with the latter set to miss most of January at the Africa Cup of Nations with Nigeria, Di Matteo revealed that the Blues will look at signing a striker in the winter transfer window.

Midfield cover for Jon Obi Mikel, who will also be on duty at the competition, could also be brought in.

"We're looking at that [making additions in January], because we'll lose Victor and John Obi Mikel for that tournament," Di Matteo said.

"We'll look and see how we deal with it, but for the moment we're okay."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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