Football
Exclusive: Chelsea Ready to Raid Strasbourg Again as Joaquín Panichelli Shines in Ligue 1
Chelsea are eyeing a move for Strasbourg striker Joaquín Panichelli after his impressive start to the season in France. The Blues face competition from AC Milan, who have the 23-year-old on their shortlist. Panichelli's form has been praised by his coach, Liam Rosenior, for his work ethic and winning mentality.
TOPSHOT-FBL-FRA-LIGUE1-STRASBOURG-LE HAVRE by SEBASTIEN BOZON | Getty Images
Chelsea are ready to raid Strasbourg’s talent pool once again by signing striker starlet Joaquín Panichelli, SportsBoom can exclusively reveal.
The Blues have already signed Panichelli’s team-mate Emanuel Emegha, who will move to Stamford Bridge ahead of next season.
But Panichelli’s stunning start to the season, ironically deputising in place of injured captain Emegha, has presented Chelsea higher-ups with a conundrum.
The Argentine striker joined Strasbourg in the summer and has hit the ground running in France, topping the League 1 scoring charts with eight goals in nine matches.
Chelsea are not adverse to signing talent from their sister club with a number of players now being signed under the ‘BlueCo’ banner rather than to either club specifically.
Stamford Bridge scouts have been to France in recent weeks to see the striker at close quarters and to ponder whether he would fit into Enzo Maresca’s system in the Premier League.
But Chelsea will face stiff competition from Serie A outfit AC Milan, who are desperate for a new striker, and could miss out on the striker with the Italian club preparing a January swoop.
Our sources understand the talented 23-year-old is on a five-man shortlist at the San Siro.
Milan are in the market for a new frontman amidst Santi Gimenez’s struggles in front of goal, failing to score in nine league games so far this season with his only strike coming in the Coppa Italia.
"Unbelievable Mentality"
Goal machine Panichelli has seen his performances hailed by boss Liam Rosenior this term.
After scoring a brace against reigning champions PSG earlier this month, former Hull boss Rosenior said: “The performance was one of the best centre-forward performances I have seen live, and it doesn’t surprise me, because he maximises himself in training every day. He works so hard.”
“He has an unbelievable mentality, and he has brought a winning mentality to this group. His goals, the way he took them, was incredible, but he led the line incredibly today, and I was very proud of him.”
Shane is an experienced sports journalist with over a decade on the front line, covering everything from football to horse racing. A familiar face in the snooker pressroom, his work regularly appears in the Daily Mirror, Daily Express, and Daily Star, alongside SportsBoom.
While snooker is where many readers know him best, cricket is his true sporting passion, though he tends to keep that side of him separate from his professional beat.
A staunch traditionalist, he’s unlikely to share your enthusiasm if you believe The Hundred is the future of Test cricket.