Chelsea make 26 G/A king their No 1 target as ‘lethal’ Cole Palmer combination is dreamt up

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has reportedly made Barcelona attacker Raphinha his ‘main target’ as he hopes to see him form a ‘lethal duo’ with Cole Palmer.

The Blues are the most free-flowing attacking outfit in the Premier League right now. After 15 games, they have scored a remarkable 35 goals, which is four more than any other side, and six more than leaders Liverpool.

Palmer is rightly given a lot of credit for his role – 11 goals and six assists – while Nicolas Jackson has eight goals, and another eight players have scored at least once for Chelsea in the league this season.

Maresca wants his side to bubble over with attacking talent, though, and as per El Nacional, the boss has made Barcelona forward Raphinha his ‘main target’.

The manager is said to feel the Brazilian can take the second-placed Premier League side to the next level, and wants him to form a ‘lethal duo’ with Palmer.

It is believed Barcelona do not want to negotiate, but TEAMtalk knows otherwise.

Raphinha and Palmer could rule the Prem

In just October, sources stated Barcelona were reluctantly open to letting the winger go, as they could sacrifice him for good money to improve their financial situation.

As such, if Chelsea lodge a high enough bid, Barca will struggle to turn them down.

That would bring together Raphinha, a man who is in his prime at 27, and already has 26 goals and assists this season, with Palmer, a 22-year-old who has the Premier League at his feet, and has already been involved in 50 league goals for Chelsea in 48 games.

He is breaking record after record, and placing him in the same attack as Raphinha could allow the Blues to dominate the Premier League, striking fear into defences.

TEAMtalk is aware that Palmer is both loved at Chelsea and loves playing there, so the attacking partnership is one without much danger of being broken up after it potentially comes together.

Chelsea round-up: Blues not on for Prem title

Though they are second in the Premier League, Jamie Carragher feels Chelsea are not title contenders as they don’t have an elite centre-back and goalkeeper in their lineup.

Maresca is in agreement, as he has reiterated his previous claims that his own side are not on the same level as Liverpool, Manchester City or Arsenal at the moment.

Meanwhile, Chelsea could lose summer signing Tosin Adarabioyo, as West Ham are keen on him and feel he could be interested in the move.

He could be replaced in the Blues’ defence by Illia Zabarnyi, who’s been scouted in a few games by the club this season, including against Tottenham, when he and his Bournemouth defensive colleagues achieved a clean sheet in a 1-0 victory.

Can Maresca create a dynasty?