Chelsea with Tuchel and Haaland would be ‘finished article’

Paul Macdonald

• Updated: 20 May 2021 11:26 BST
• 5 min read

Chelsea would be almost the finished article with Thomas Tuchel as head coach and Erling Haaland as their main striker.

That is the view of Graeme Souness, who won five league titles and three European Cups with Liverpool.

READ MORE: Explained – Which super clubs can actually afford Haaland?

Borussia Dortmund sensation Haaland has been linked with Chelsea, both Manchester clubs, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and PSG.

The prolific striker’s future is among the biggest talking points in world football going into the summer transfer window.

After watching Chelsea thump Crystal Palace 4-1 on Saturday, Souness is convinced that with Tuchel, the Blues are already second only to Man City when it comes to the Premier League pecking order.

That is despite Man Utd and Leicester City sitting above Chelsea in the table, while Liverpool won last year’s title and sit only two points behind.

READ MORE: ‘Desperate’ Chelsea would challenge Man Utd for Haaland

With Tuchel having made a fantastic start at Chelsea, Souness thinks a prolific striker like Haaland is just about all they are missing now.

Souness believes owner Roman Abrahmovich would sanction a huge move for Haaland.

That is despite his high-profile signings from last season, Timo Werner and Kai Havertz, not paying immediate dividends.

“When you look at the team that started for Chelsea against Palace and look at the subs, I would put Chelsea as having the second strongest squad in the Premier League behind City,” he said to Sky Sports.

“Other than having an out and out 25 to 30 goals a season man, Chelsea are pretty near the finished article.

“If they get that [prolific striker], they will be very dangerous.

“If they can land one in the summer you never know.

“No one is talking about them for Haaland. Would they have a go there?

“I’m sure the owner would have a go if he saw any encouragement this year that they could be the team to win the big trophies.

“His eyes are only on the league and the Champions League, Abramovich.

“So I think he would go again [and spend big for Haaland].”

Tuchel: Chelsea are strong and hungry

Christian Pulisic scored twice for Chelsea at Palace, with Havertz and Kurt Zouma also on target.

Chelsea suffered their first loss under Tuchel last week – a shock 5-2 reverse to West Brom after Thiago Silva was sent off.

But they have made an impressive response.

READ MORE: Dortmund receive Haaland warning over UCL

The Palace win followed up a 2-0 Champions League quarter-final first-leg triumph over Porto.

Haaland, meanwhile, is on a rare goal drought having not scored in six games for club or country.

But in a memorable season the 20-year-old has scored 21 times in the Bundesliga and on 10 more occasions in the Champions League.

Aside from Werner, Chelsea’s current forwards are Tammy Abraham and Olivier Giroud, both of whom have uncertain futures.

Tuchel said about the win over Palace: “We were very strong, very hungry and aggressive with the ball and off the ball.

“I am happy with the way we played with possession.

“I am absolutely happy with the defensive performance in the opponent’s half.

“In the first half we were very strong with ball recoveries.

“So it was a well-deserved win with a strong performance

“We also had very good performances against Tottenham, Atletico, Everton and Liverpool.”