Chelsea boss Tuchel has offered Havertz and Werner hint with Lukaku transfer imminent

Lukaku returning to Chelsea 'to prove people wrong'

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Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel has suggested that he still has full faith in his current attacking stars, particularly the likes of Timo Werner and Kai Havertz, despite the imminent arrival of £97.5million signing Romelu Lukaku. 

The Belgian striker is set to return to the Premier League side after the Blues agreed a club-record deal with Inter Milan.  

Tuchel has wanted to sign a striker this summer after seeing his side frequently misfire last term, despite storming back up the Premier League table and winning the Champions League. 

It is thought that an elite goalscorer will propel the club among the contenders for the top-flight title. 

Werner was guilty of several toothless performances in front of goal following his £47m arrival from RB Leipzig last summer but was still regularly picked to start. 

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Werner, his Germany team-mate Havertz, Tammy Abraham and Olivier Giroud shared the role as the central striker in Tuchel’s front three.  

Abraham is set for a £34m move to Roma, according to journalist Gianluca di Marzio, while Giroud has joined AC Milan. 

However, Tuchel has said that he has faith in his other attackers, despite making a forward his No 1 target. 

“Well I’m absolutely not in a position to announce anything and I will maybe refuse to talk about it because we are in a match-day minus-1 press conference before a European final,” the German said ahead of Chelsea’s UEFA Super Cup tie against Villarreal. 

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“It’s clearly not the moment for personal discussions of our squad.  

“As you know I have a lot of trust in the existing squad and we proved already we can be a strong side. 

“I talked many times about how we discussed our ideas together about how to improve the squad, which is not easy with Olivier Giroud leaving the club and having an important role over the years – a certain profile of attacker.

“We need to wait to see what’s possible and what’s not possible but we are not in any panic.

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“We are happy to work with the team and arrive with the team like this tomorrow, and today there is nothing to announce. 

“It will always stay like this and I will not talk about it until there is something to announce.” 

Tuchel’s comments apply in particular to Werner and Havertz given they played so often under Tuchel last term, with the boss making clear he still has faith in the duo despite Lukaku’s arrival.

Lukaku will be expected to lead the line for Chelsea, while two other attackers will support him if Tuchel persists with the 3-4-3 formation which worked so successfully last term.  

Werner, Havertz, Mason Mount, Christian Pulisic and Hakim Ziyech will all compete for the two roles behind the Belgium international. 

Callum Hudson-Odoi could also be in contention to play in the position but Tuchel has often preferred the academy graduate in a wing-back role.  

Tuchel’s faith will come as a big confidence boost to Werner, in particular. 

The 25-year-old had a difficult first campaign in English football. He scored only six Premier League goals, although added a further six in other competitions.  

His best performances came in a wide role, as opposed to playing in the central position that Lukaku will likely occupy. 
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