Tammy Abraham is a Chelsea player in the making, says one of those who has followed his career closely in 2016-17, but a season or two on loan at Newcastle United would do a lot to help his chances.
The Magpies are on the lookout for new strikers this summer, and his impressive season on loan at Bristol City has put 19-year-old Abraham high on their wishlist.
Dwight Gayle scored 23 goals in last season’s Championship, but hamstring problems restricted him to only seven starts and four goals in 2017.
Aleksandar Mitrovic continues to be erratic and manager Rafael Benitez never seems to have warmed to him. Ayoze Perez has talent but is a more lightweight player much better suited to playing in the hole or out wide, and while the more robust Daryl Murphy did a good job in the second half of last season, he is probably better suited to the Championship.
In more games, Abraham matched Gayle’s 23-goal tally in last season’s Championship and created one more. Gregor MacGregor, football reporter on the Bristol Post, thinks he is ready to make the step up to the top-flight.
“I interviewed him a few times this season and he consistently talked about how his game has grown playing against men,” he said.
“Things like his hold-up play have really progressed, as has his running into channels and holding off experienced players. He’s done really well.
“He was a quality player when he arrived but he always needed to work on the more defensive side of his game and he’s done that.
“(Manager) Lee Johnson talked about trying to improve his off-the-ball play and his work-rate, and he’s done that.
“He’s also improved and matured off the pitch. He’s been quite open in his interviews that it was the first time he’d lived on his own. Until then he’d always had his mum looking after him.”
Brighton and Hove Albion, who finished second to Newcastle, have also shown an interest, and MacGregor is confident the 19-year-old is ready to move up a level.
“He scored 23 goals, even missing a good month through injury, and playing in a better side with better service he could have got more,” he argued.
“No doubt he will score goals next season if he does join Newcastle.
On Monday Abraham was named in England’s squad for the European Under-21 Championships in Poland.
In his time at St James’ Park, Benitez has shown an almost fanatical devotion to a 4-2-3-1 formation, and MacGregor believes Abraham can provide realistic competition to Gayle as the targetman in that shape. The news that the Spaniard is targeting wingers in his summer recruitment drive should also suit the youngster.
“He’s nowhere near the levels of someone like Didier Drogba but he’s heading along that path,” commented MacGregor.
“He thrives on crosses but his game’s about more than just that. He’s a brilliant goal-poacher and very good one-on-one. You might say he had to improve it would be his shooting from distance, but that’s quite harsh, and he could improve his heading, I suppose.
“I think he would benefit more from another loan, maybe two, than from heading back to Chelsea at this stage. From what I’ve heard he’s very highly rated there and Dominic Solanke moving to Liverpool has cleared another obstacle out of his way.
“I personally think he might well make it at Chelsea but not just yet. But I wouldn’t be surprised at all if he does better than the likes of Patrick Bamford (now at Middlesbrough after being loaned out seven times by Chelsea).”