According to the Daily Telegraph’s Matt Law, Chelsea were offered the chance to sign Salomon Rondon on deadline day – but Frank Lampard said no, believing the ex-NUFC striker wouldn’t improve his squad.
The Venezuelan is currently in China with Benitez’s Dalian Yifang, but was heavily linked with a late January loan move after the Chinese Super League was suddenly postponed indefinitely following an outbreak of coronavirus.
Both ourselves and Man Utd were also linked with a possible bid to bring him back to England until the end of the season, but it seems we weren’t his only admirer after his 12-goal, 7 assist season at St James’ Park last year.
Here’s what Law has had to say about Rondon, confirming that Chelsea passed up the chance to sign the ex-Mag last month:
“Chelsea were offered Salomon Rondon on loan.
“But they decided to stick to the plan of only signing to improve so passed.”
Ironically, he could’ve replaced Olivier Giroud at Stamford Bridge had the Frenchman accepted our late loan offer and Lampard fancied Rondon, but nothing materialised.
Instead, Lampard heads into the second half of the season with Michy Batshuayi and Olivier Giroud as his back up options to one-time NUFC target Tammy Abraham.
With Joelinton struggling and Carroll, Gayle and Muto still on the sidelines, it’s fair to say few NUFC fans would’ve rejected the chance to have Rondon until the end of the season had he been offered our way!