Chelsea remain interested in two veteran strikers

Chelsea continued their promising run of form by holding Manchester City to a 1-1 draw on Saturday afternoon. 

The Blues have endured a difficult season so far but recent wins over Aston Villa and Crystal Palace – in the FA Cup and Premier League respectively – have given manager Mauricio Pochettino cause for optimism.

Former Man City star Raheem Sterling gave the visitors a surprise lead at The Etihad and it looked like Chelsea were to emerge victorious, before Rodri’s late equaliser earned City a crucial point.

Despite the positive result, Chelsea once again struggled in front of goal, and it appears that the West London club are still considering shock moves for two veteran strikers.

As per O Dia via TEAMtalk, the Blues remain interested in both Roberto Firmino and Karim Benzema.

The pair are both currently playing in the Saudi Arabian Pro League – for Al-Ahli and Al-Ittihad respectively – but the report suggests that both players are unhappy and could therefore be tempted by a return to Europe.

Benzema remains a target for Chelsea as they look to solve their ongoing issues in front of goal

Benzema, 36, moved to the Middle East last summer after ending a hugely successful spell with Spanish side Real Madrid, during which he scored a remarkable 354 goals in 648 matches across all competitions.

The Frenchman has netted 12 times in 20 games since signing for Al-Ittihad, but the former Ballon d’Or winner remains of interest to Chelsea as they search for a new striker to solve their goal scoring issues.

Arsenal were also linked with a move for Benzema during the recent January transfer window.

Firmino, meanwhile, also joined the Pro League at the end of last season, ending an eight-year spell with Premier League side Liverpool.

During his time on Merseyside, the 32-year-old Brazilian won seven trophies including the Champions League and Premier League, and also scored 111 goals for the Reds.