Sarri: Injury-hit Chelsea may need another winger, not a striker

If Chelsea secure any winter reinforcements this month, manager Maurizio Sarri wants his club to prioritize another option out wide over a new target man.

Amid goalscoring droughts from Alvaro Morata and Olivier Giroud this season, Sarri has recently opted to start traditional left winger Eden Hazard as a false nine, with Pedro and Willian flanking the Belgian playmaker on either side. However, Pedro's hamstring injury suffered against Watford foiled that arrangement.

But rather than simply recruiting a new No. 9, Sarri believes his injury-plagued side may benefit more from adding another winger before the winter transfer window closes at the end of January.

"I have the option with Hazard in this position," Sarri said, according to The Telegraph's Matt Law. "We have Morata and Hazard who can play very well in this position, as we have seen in the last two or three matches.

"So I think that at the moment I don't need another striker. Maybe another winger, because now we are in trouble with the injuries of Pedro, of (Callum) Hudson-Odoi, (Ruben) Loftus-Cheek. At the moment I have no option for the wingers."

Recent reports have linked the Blues with a potential swap for AC Milan striker Gonzalo Higuain, who is currently on loan from fellow Serie A side Juventus. In return, Chelsea would offer the out-of-favor Morata, who has mustered just five goals in 15 Premier League showings this season.

Chelsea have also expressed interest in Lyon attacker Nabil Fekir, though perhaps more in line with Sarri's preference are reports of the London club's interest in rising Borussia Dortmund star Christian Pulisic. The Blues reportedly made a bid in excess of €50 million for the 20-year-old American, but the Bundesliga leaders want to hold on to the youngster until the summer.