Former Chelsea man likens £34m departing striker to Drogba
Pat Nevin has suggested that new Roma striker Tammy Abraham “will fill out” and become a player of a similar ilk to Chelsea legend Didier Drogba.
Abraham came through the ranks at Chelsea and he made his senior debut for them during the 2015/16 Premier League campaign.
The 23-year-old went onto shine on loan in the Championship with Bristol City and Aston Villa. This was before he rejoined the Chelsea first team ahead of the 2019/20 season.
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The striker netted 18 goals across all competitions last term, but he has fallen down the pecking order under new boss Thomas Tuchel.
Abraham was expected to leave the club this summer. He has done so as he has joined Serie A outfit Roma on a permanent deal. Jose Mourinho’s side have paid an initial £34m to bring him to Italy.
Nevin has been speaking about the move in an interview that has been cited by Football London. He believes that Abraham would have become a “fabulous” striker for Chelsea if he had stayed:
“I’ve been watching Tammy Abraham in pre-season and something’s happened that I’ve been waiting three seasons for; his physique has changed.
“People will look at Lukaku when he was at Chelsea the first time and he didn’t get many games, then he goes on to be Man United and Belgium’s leading goalscorer.
“He’s been a brilliant player wherever he goes, and people will be thinking the same about Tammy because he will fill out.
“Didier Drogba didn’t hit his real career form until mid-20s and I think the same could happen with Tammy.
“I wouldn’t say it’s a mistake to let him go, but if Tammy would have stayed for the next four years, then he would have been a fabulous striker for Chelsea.
“The problem is that it would be unfair for Tammy to sit on the bench, so a move away was needed more for himself.
“The perfect situation for Chelsea would have been what they always do, loan players out at big clubs for two or three seasons and then they come back the finished product.
“I think one day Tammy could come back [and be] the finished article and lead the line for Chelsea.”
