Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has backed Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to become the first striker since Diego Costa to score more than 20 goals in the Premier League.
Chelsea’s frontmen have struggled since former Stamford Bridge hero Costa scored 20 goals in 35 games in the club’s title-winning season in 2016-17.
Ex-Arsenal captain Aubameyang will hope to break the hoodoo following his deadline-day move from Barcelona.
Hasselbaink expects Aubameyang to thrive on his return to the English top-flight but still doubts Chelsea will challenge for the Premier League title.
The Blues have won half of their league games this season and are currently bottom of Champions League Group E with one point from two matches.
Chelsea’s new owner Todd Boehly sacked Thomas Tuchel after a shock 1-0 defeat to Dinamo Zagreb, with former Brighton boss Graham Potter appointed as the German’s replacement.
Hasselbaink said: ‘Aubameyang did really well at Barcelona. He was scoring goals. It’s a good signing for Chelsea for the next two years.
‘I don’t think that it is a four or five-year signing. It’s a two-year signing. I think he will score goals; he knows where the back of the net is.
‘He did sign for Chelsea because Tuchel was there but as a footballer it happens that managers come and go. His career will keep on going and he needs to produce like any other player and I don’t think that is a problem.
‘Aubameyang can score 20 plus goals. Have they got a squad to go and become champions? Not yet.
‘Have they got a squad to get in the top four and compete for an FA Cup, or get far in the Champions League? Yes.
‘Are they going to win the Champions League? They’re not favourites, I don’t think that they are. But a successful season would be finishing in the top four and winning a cup this year.
‘I think he’s going to embrace it and I think Graham Potter will embrace him as well. I don’t see any problem really.
‘He has only played two matches. He has not hit the back of the net yet but that will come. you don’t become a bad player overnight.’
Chelsea spent almost £100m to sign Romelu Lukaku from Inter Milan last summer, but the Belgian struggled upon his return to Stamford Bridge.
Big-money signing Timo Werner also underwhelmed for the Blues, but Hasselbaink does not have the same fears for Aubameyang.
He added to : ‘He will score as he is different to Lukaku, he is different to Werner. They’re different kinds of players. He’s better in small areas.
‘Is his movement going to improve? Yeah, I think the sharper he is going to become the sharper his movement is going to be.
‘You can see that he’s not there yet with a few times offside, but with time it will get sharper and that will come.’
, .
, and .
