Tammy Abraham has stated that his dream remains to play for Chelsea as he prepares to help take Aston Villa back to the Premier League.
Abraham began the season as Chelsea’s third-choice striker, behind Álvaro Morata and Olivier Giroud, only featuring as a substitute in the Community Shield defeat to Manchester City in August.
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Abraham has been outstanding for Villa in the Championship this season
In search of regular playing time, the 21-year-old decided to drop down to the Championship and has netted 26 goals to help take Villa into the play-off final where they take on Derby at Wembley today – a match you can listen to LIVE on talkSPORT.
He is the first player to reach that many goals for Villa in a single season since Andy Gray did so back in 1976/77.
“It’s been a successful season. I came here with things in mind to do: score goals, and help take a team all the way to the play-offs. That’s what I have done so far,” he told Chelsea’s official website.
“The main [area of improvement] has to be hold-up play. Coming into a league where it’s very physical, and there are very good teams in the league as well, sometimes the only option is to be a target man.
“I have been that target man for Aston Villa, even though growing up at Chelsea you’re not really a target man at a young age!
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Didier Drogba was a player Abraham grew up watching
“You mostly have the ball on the floor. I have taken that into my game. Because of my height and my appearance sometimes I have to become a target man. It’s something I have had to improve on and I think I have done.”
The academy graduate, who has made just three first-team appearances for Chelsea, says he studied the way that Didier Drogba and Diego Costa used to play in attack.
“Yeah I have enjoyed it. I like to be physical sometimes. I grew up watching [Didier] Drogba, more recently [Diego] Costa, and learned how the best use their body and their brain. I like that.
It’s not just ‘nicey nicey’ football – sometimes you have got to show the rough side of you as well, and show your strength. I’m a strong lad and I have to use that.”
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Abraham in pre-season action
Fellow Chelsea loanees Fikayo Tomori and Mason Mount will be on the opposite side when Abraham takes to the pitch at Wembley and the Villa striker said he they had discussed this encounter earlier in the season.
“I have been speaking with Fikayo over the phone, even before Derby’s game against West Brom [which they won to make the play-offs]. I said ‘you guys have left it til the last game!’
“Me and Fik said at the start of the season ‘maybe we can both be in the play-offs’, and we actually both are. It’s a dream to be in a play-off final against him after growing up together. And Mason as well. He’s had a fantastic first season on loan in the Championship. He’s smashed it. It’s nice to have the Chelsea boys in the final!”
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Fikayo Tomori (L) will line up for Derby against Abraham (centre)
With Chelsea facing a transfer ban and Gonzalo Higuain unlikely to remain at Stamford Bridge, the Blues are left with only Olivier Giroud and Abraham could be given a chance to finally make the step up.
“Yeah, [my goal remains playing for Chelsea]. That’s the team I have grown up playing for and I have been at since the age of seven,” he said.
“Making my Chelsea debut was a dream come true, and I want that feeling again and again. That’ll be the aim, and fingers crossed I will achieve it.”
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