Having had quite enough of watching Álvaro Morata doing the Charlie Brown walk, Maurizio Sarri is planning to sign a new striker in January. Chelsea’s manager has his eyes on Genoa’s Krzysztof Piatek at the moment. The 23-year-old has started the season with 10 goals for club and country. Morata, meanwhile, continues to try to intimidate opposition defenders by looking very sad.

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Chelsea could be busy when the transfer window opens. They sent scouts to last Sunday’s Milan derby to watch Milan’s 23-year-old captain and centre-back, Alessio Romagnoli. But the really big news from Chelsea’s perspective is that Real Madrid might be about to replace Julen Lopetegui with Antonio Conte, who would probably have a hard time convincing Eden Hazard to move to the Bernabéu next summer – the forward was far from Conte’s biggest fan by the end of the Italian’s time at Stamford Bridge.

Fearful that they might end up missing out on Hazard, Madrid are busily making contingency plans. This, of course, is the point where the Mill is supposed to link the European champions with a mega move for Neymar. But there’s nothing about the PSG forward today. Instead, Madrid are said to be preparing a January bid for LA Galaxy’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic, 87. It seems to have escaped their attention that the Swede isn’t even the best former Manchester United striker in MLS at the moment?

Liverpool’s Divock Origi – remember him? – is a target for Besiktas and Fenerbahce, Juventus want to sign Marcelo from Madrid – who will demand £40m for the left-back – and Leicester are keeping tabs on Hamburg’s David Bates, a Scotland Under-21 defender.