Chelsea have been linked with a number of strikers in the past few months as manager Jose Mourinho has lamented the lack of striking options available to him due to the poor records of his current crop of Samuel Eto’o, Fernando Torres and Demba Ba.

The two names who have been linked the most with a move to Stamford Bridge in the summer are Atletico Madrid’s Diego Costa and Paris St. Germain’s Edinson Cavani. Here’s a look at which of the two would be better suited for the Blues.

Cavani

Edinson Cavani has been forced to play a wider role for PSG this season given the presence of Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the side who hogs all the limelight at the club. While Cavani has been quietly effective since his summer move to the French capital, Cavani is said to be unhappy at being played out of position and hence he has been rumored to be open to a move in the summer.

Cavani’s record, despite being played out of position, is pretty good –  he has scored 14 goals in 22 league appearances, an outstanding record for any striker and one that Mourinho would be more than happy with. However, Cavani has been not created as many chances for his teammates as one would expect, especially since he plays in a wider and more supportive role to Ibrahimovic – he has created only 15 chances in his 22 appearances.

If he does arrive in the summer, Cavani has the ability to adapt to the pace and physicality of the Premier League and he would be a potent threat in leading the line for Chelsea. With the likes of Eden Hazard, Oscar and Willian there to create chances for him, his finishing and movement will become crucial in scoring the goals which Chelsea are currently lacking.

Diego Costa

Diego Costa on the other hand has been in the form of his life and has been banging goals in left right and center. He has managed to 21 goals in 26 league appearances and he is a major reason why Atletico Madrid have managed to mount a serious challenge for the La Liga crown this season.

Costa has been outstanding this season and has been a force to reckon with for defenses all around Spain. On top of the goals, what makes Costa so impressive is his ability to create chances for his teammates around him as well, having created 34 chances (3 assists) this season. His physically dominating style of play has been a success this season and there is no doubt that he would take to the Premier League like a fish to water.

The only problem with Costa is that he seems to need a partner in order to flourish and some of his best performances this season have come when David Villa has started alongside him in a two-man frontline. With Chelsea preferring to play with a lone striker, Costa may find life difficult at Stamford Bridge if he is unable to adapt to Mourinho’s tactics.

The verdict

Going by the type of striker Mourinho prefers – a physically strong player capable of holding up the ball and getting involved in the build-up play whilst creating chances for his team –  Diego Costa seems to be a better fit for Chelsea. Add to it the fact that he is likely to cost much less than what Cavani is likely to cost, and Costa almost seems like the default choice. However, if Chelsea are looking for a complete striker who is not only great in the build-up but also a clinical finisher and capable of leading the line on his own, then Cavani is the man to go for.