“He would move the dressing room” – Frank Leboeuf says Chelsea must sign 28-year-old with ‘similar personality’ to Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Former footballer turned pundit Frank Lebouef has urged Chelsea to sign Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic. Lebouef, who previously represented the Blues between 1996 and 2001, sees Zlatan Ibrahimovic-like characteristics in Mitrovic.

The Serbia international was in fine form for Fulham in the recently concluded season. He scored 15 and assisted four goals in 28 appearances for the club across competitions.

Lebouef sees some similarities between Mitrovic and Ibrahimovic, who recently retired from professional football. The former defender feels Chelsea could do with a character like Mitrovic in the dressing room. He said on Si & Dan Talk Chelsea (via Express):

"We need a striker, and I think we need someone like Aleksandar Mitrovic from Fulham. Mitrovic has a real mentality, he would move the dressing room. I think Mitrovic has a similar personality to Zlatan Ibrahimovic; he can be that type of guy, he has the mentality of a winner."

He added:

"I like soldiers. Those guys never blink, they never let go, and they always face it. I love it. He’s done very well for Fulham, and he wouldn’t need to move that far away to join Chelsea!"

The Blues may be forced to look into the market for a centre forward if Kai Havertz's reported move to Real Madrid materializes. The German forward has been linked with a move to Los Blancos as he is reportedly tired of the unrest at Stamford Bridge.

Havertz has registered 32 goals and 15 assists in 139 games for the Blues.

Lebouef wants Chelsea to sell Romelu Lukaku

Frank Lebouef has also urged Chelsea to sell loanee Romelu Lukaku. The striker will return to the club following the completion of his year-long loan stint at Inter.

The Frenchman believes Lukaku doesn't want to stay at Stamford Bridge and should thus be sold this summer. He said (via Express):

"[Lukaku] doesn’t want to come back. I think he’s already made up his mind, so he shouldn’t come back. If you don’t want to play for a club anymore then don’t play, and the club has to do everything to get rid of him. I know he was a lot of money, but get rid of him because he doesn’t want to be here."

He added:

"Fans will be resentful, so as soon as he plays poor he will be booed and there will be big drama, so what’s the point? Try to get rid of him, shake hands and say goodbye, that’s it. I wish him the best; I love Lukaku, and I really hope that he will be successful and hopefully, he will find his happiness at Inter, and we can get somebody else."

Lukaku rejoined the Blues in the 2021 summer transfer window for €113 million but failed to recapture the form he showed at Inter before being sent back to the Serie A club on loan in 2022 summer. He still has three years left on his Chelsea contract.

Lukaku scored 15 goals in 44 games for the Blues in the 2021-22 season.