Tammy Abraham has been tipped to reach the same potential as Chelsea legend Didier Drogba after signing for Roma in the summer transfer window.
That is according to ex-Chelsea winger Pat Nevin, who claimed Abraham could have been a "fabulous striker" for the Blues if he had "stayed for the next four years."
Roma splashed out £34m (€40m) to sign Abraham from Chelsea on a five-year deal.
The 23-year-old striker was not part of Thomas Tuchel’s plans and would have seen his first-team opportunity limited even further with Chelsea’s £97.5m signing of Romelu Lukaku.
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Abraham, who was also linked with Aston Villa, West Ham and Southampton, does have a buy-back clause set at £68m in his new Roma contract.
However, Chelsea will be unable to activate the Roma new boy’s buy-back clause until he has completed two seasons with the Serie A side.
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Nevin has now insisted that it would have been "unfair" for Abraham to sit on the Chelsea bench and a "move away was needed more for himself."
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The 57-year-old added that Chelsea hero Drogba "didn't hit his real career form until mid-20s" and it could be the same case for Abraham.
Nevin told British Gambler: "I've been watching Tammy Abraham in pre-season and something's happened that I've been waiting three seasons for: his physique has changed.
"People will look at Lukaku when he was at Chelsea the first time and he didn't get many games, then he goes on to be Man United and Belgium's leading goalscorer.
"He's been a brilliant player wherever he goes, and people will be thinking the same about Tammy because he will fill out.
"Didier Drogba didn't hit his real career form until mid-20s and I think the same could happen with Tammy.
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"I wouldn't say it's a mistake to let him go, but if Tammy would have stayed for the next four years, then he would have been a fabulous striker for Chelsea.
"The problem is that it would be unfair for Tammy to sit on the bench, so a move away was needed more for himself.
"The perfect situation for Chelsea would have been what they always do, loan players out at big clubs for two or three seasons and then they come back the finished product.
"I think one day Tammy could come back the finished article and lead the line for Chelsea."
Featured Image Credit: PATopics: Didier Drogba, Tammy Abraham, AS Roma, Chelsea, Italy, Serie A, Football
