Chelsea are reportedly preparing a bid for Benfica striker Oscar Cardozo, who has earned praise from experts for his performances this season both domestically and in the UEFA Europa League run which saw his side reach the final.

The Blues are desperately looking to add quality in the striking department, and are searching all over Europe for a player with the right attributes to cope up with the intensity of the Barclays Premier League. As seen with the high profile transfer of Andrey Shevchenko in the past, many a star player could not cope with the pressure of playing in the intensity of the Premier League. Jose Mourinho wants to get the right striker, even if it means getting a player who is older, but experienced in scoring goals. The much talked about transfer of Radamel Falcao to Monaco has proved that buying a striker who is relatively young and in good form will not be affordable for most clubs.

Cardozo may be 30-years old, but has been a prolific star for Benfica over the years. The Paraguayan scored 17 goals in 25 matches in the Portuguese league last season. His scoring run did not stop there, as the striker bagged 9 goals in 14 Europa League appearances, and ended up as the second highest goalscorer in the competition. Ironically, Cardozo scored the decisive penalty that brought Benfica back on level terms with Chelsea in the final, but his side lost 1-2 eventually.

Where Cavani would cost Chelsea a transfer fee in the region of £50 million, Cardozo would cost the Blues an approximate of £17 million, a considerably lower amount, which could enable Mourinho to buy more players, rather than spend more on one.

The only worry for Chelsea fans would be Cardozo’s age, which means that the striker cannot afford to take a season or two to settle into life in the Premier League, a luxury Cavani could avail of over the years.

According to SkySports, Cardozo’s agent has confirmed concrete interest from the Premier League this summer.

His agent, Pedro Aldave, said, “Benfica knows the situation and now the subject is in their hands,”

“There has always been interest from Premier League but now this is real interest.”

A move for Cardozo would surely be a big surprise but it is hard to argue with his attributes which would really suit the premier league or with his record in recent times which is pretty damn impressive. A Cardozo transfer has to be put in the unlikely transfer category but stranger things have happened and I have been wrong before. We will keep you updated.