Do Chelsea really need Demba Ba?

With Chelsea having just triggered the release clause in Demba Ba’s contract to potentially draw to a close the protracted transfer saga that has surrounded him it’s worth asking, “is he worth all the hassle?”

Well, for starters, this season Newcastle have scored twenty-six goals in the Premier League and Ba has scored half of them, and in the time that Demba Ba has been in the Premier League, only Robin Van Persie and Wayne Rooney have scored more goals.

The Senegalese international is a big, burly-bully of a player and he matches this aggressive style with a high level of skill and pace. The perfect combination for the Premier League, you would like to think, and if he does join Chelsea, he will surely be seen as an ideal replacement for Didier Drogba.

Crucially, and especially at this time of year, his national team is currently banned from appearing at the African Cup of Nations due to the rioting witnessed during a recent play-off against Cote d’Ivoire, so whilst many African players will be away representing their countries, Demba Ba will be free to continue to terrorise the defences of teams throughout the Premier League.

Whilst I think that having a release clause so low that you are, by implication, either continually wrangling for a move or a new contract and upsetting things, is pretty poor form and disrespectful to your club. However, I do believe that he might just be worth the hassle and it seems highly likely that Newcastle United are soon to find out how much of a gap he leaves. 

Peter Stickney

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