Chelsea have been told they should sign Cristiano Ronaldo - or face coming third again next season.
The Blues finished 19 points behind champions Manchester City, and 18 behind second-placed Liverpool as well last term. They have already signed Raheem Sterling to try and bridge the bap and and are set to bring in Kalidou Koulibaly and Nathan Ake as well.
But they waved goodbye to £97.5million striker Romelu Lukaku, who rejoined Inter Milan on loan, leaving themselves short up front. And while the one player they need to replace him is staring them in the face, they risk finishing behind City and Liverpool again if they fail to sign him.
That's the view of former Arsenal and England forward Paul Merson, who insists Ronaldo still has it and would be a better fit at Chelsea than he was at Manchester United. Writing in his Daily Star column, Merse said: "Chelsea won't finish higher than third next season unless they sign a world-class striker.
"And there is one player ideally suited to fill the role still on the market - Cristiano Ronaldo. Raheem Sterling, Kalidou Koulibaly and Natha Ake are all good players and they all help Chelsea now.
"But it's up front where they really need help because Kai Havertz isn't really a striker for me and doesn't guarantee you 20 goals a season. And that is something Ronaldo certainly would.
"Chelsea dominate virtually every game they play and they're playing on the edge of the other team's box. You've got Ben Chilwell and Reece James, two of the best crosses of a ball in the world who can put the ball in the box.
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"Who's the best finisher in the world if you can put the ball in the box with quality? Ronaldo! Chelsea should go for him 100 per cent. They play a certain way. It's why Romelu Lukaku struggled - because there's no space to run into.
"But Ronaldo would thrive. At Manchester United he had to start from the halfway line to score a goal because they don't dominate. But that's not his game any more. At Chelsea he wouldn't have to beat three players to get a sight of goal. Put Ronaldo in that team with James and Chilwell whipping balls in and who's going to stop him?
"Nobody can head a ball like Ronaldo. Nobody can hit a ball like Ronaldo. And think how exciting that would be for Chelsea fans. Yes, he's coming to the end of his career. But for me he ticks the boxes in terms of how they play.
"I think Ronaldo can still do it. If he was playing for Manchester City I think he would score more goals than Erling Haaland, because he suits the style of play. Chelsea don't need pace and power, like they had in Lukaku. And Ronaldo doesn't have that any more. But what Chelsea do need is need is a top class finisher.
"Manchester United didn't play very well last season. But Ronaldo still scored goals because he's one of the best finishers in the world of football. Chelsea haven't got that kind of player who can go 20 minutes without touching the ball and then smash one in. That's what Ronaldo is right now.
"You keep hearing that Ronaldo was offered to Chelsea weeks ago, so maybe they've already decided against it. But I think that's a mistake. They're buying players for now. Sterling and Koulibaly are not young. They are player you buy to win now.
"This is not a four-year plan. So why not buy Ronaldo on a short-term contract? He wouldn't be holding anybody back because they haven't got a centre forward."
