Opinion: Sinclair move may prove to be one that pays off

Blues fans were calling out for a striker and Gianfranco Zola may just deliver. Jerome Sinclair has been linked with a loan move until the end of the season from Premier League club Watford.

Now, although Sinclair might not have been the player that came to our minds when thinking about striking options, it could well turn out to be a clever move by Zola.

The 20-year-old has featured five times in the Premier League for Watford this season and scored one solitary goal in the FA Cup against Burton.

I would refer more to his past record but, to be truthful, he hasn’t really played much first team football so he is still a slightly unknown quantity in that sense.

He can play up front or out wide so will give us a bit of flexibility to potentially swap a few players around.

If he goes out wide then Che Adams could take up the lone striker role or, if Lukas Jutkiewicz is up front, then Sinclair could occupy a wide role or even play alongside Jutkiewicz.

He will certainly bring a lot more pace to the side and would provide us with a really positive option coming off the bench which we currently lack.

There has been far too much reliance on Jutkiewicz of late and it’s clear that some of the pressure on him needs to be relieved.

It’s a lot to ask of a young player like Sinclair to come in and hopefully have an impact so it’s a slight gamble in that respect but one worth taking.

This signing may not be everyone’s cup of tea due to his limited experience but, due to the fact that we are so close to the transfer deadline, it would be tough for Zola to get a deal done elsewhere.

I must admit, at first thoughts, I wasn’t too excited about Sinclair coming in but after mulling it over I do think that he could have an impact for us over the next few months.

He might not be a proven, prolific goalscoring but his pace and strength will give Zola food for thought and another forward option that we were all crying out for.

Whether the gamble pays off or not, only time will tell. But, the signing of a striker along with all the other signings make for positive reading and now it’s time to do the talking on the pitch.