According to reports in The Telegraph, Chelsea have launched a surprise inquiry to sign Stoke City striker Peter Crouch on loan until the end of the season after another target Andy Carroll was ruled out because of an ankle injury.

What's the word, then?

Well, The Telegraph says that Blues boss Antonio Conte is keen to sign a target man to provide cover for the unreliable goalscorer Alvaro Morata with the Italian not fancying current back-up Michy Batshuayi.

The Telegraph says that the Premier League holders have made an enquiry for 36-year-old Crouch, although a deal for the Potters centre-forward could prove to be difficult.

The former England international – who sccored 22 goals in 42 caps for the Three Lions – has been a regular in recent weeks and only signed a new one-year deal at the Britannia Stadium in November, and the report adds that Stoke would need to find a replacement first before considering letting the striker leave.

How has Crouch done this season?

The veteran attacker has scored three goals and provided a further two assists in 18 Premier League appearances, although he hasn't found the net in his previous 11 top flight outings despite starting eight of them.

Stoke are currently lying in the relegation zone however and chances have been few and far between for the 36-year-old, who continues to be a huge threat in the air.

According to WhoScored.com, the 6ft 7in centre-forward has won 140 of the 211 aerial duels he has faced in 18 Premier League games.

Would he be a good signing for Chelsea?

If they are after a target man who is decent in the air in the short-term, then he certainly would be.

Crouch has shown throughout his career that he can make a big impact at this level – shown by the fact that he has scored the most headed goals of any Premier League player in history – and he has netted 104 top flight goals in total.

With better service at Stamford Bridge he could certainly prove to be an interesting addition and back-up option in the second-half of the campaign, and he would be a thorn in the side of opposition defenders because of his height – both in the English top flight and the Champions League.

Blues supporters would probably prefer a different option, but in the short-term and not as a first-choice it would be a good deal.

https://video.footballfancast.com/video-2015/barkley-cfc.mp4