Former Chelsea defender Mario Melchiot has urged Tammy Abraham to add a nastier edge to his game to become a better striker.

The Nigeria Football Federation target is the second leading scorer in the English Premier League with seven goals but failed to find the net last weekend when he came up against one of the best defenders in the world, Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk.

Melchiot wants Abraham to offer more physical presence like former Chelsea strikers Didier Drogba and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink.

Speaking to TalkSport, the retired Netherlands right-back said : ''Tammy Abraham is a real finisher but, as much as I like him as a player, he’s sometimes got to be more of a bad boy.

''You know why? When you play against players like Virgil van Dijk, the striker has to have a bit of badness in him. A bit of nastiness.

''OK, look at the guys I played against, like Ryan Giggs. He was so elegent, he dribbled beautifully, but trust me, if I kicked him he would have got up and either kicked me back or found a way to do it – he was one of the best players I played against.''

He added : ''Tammy needs that too. As cute as he looks, he’s young, fresh and exciting to watch, he needs to have that.

''If you look at Drogba, Hasselbaink, these guys weren’t cute when you played against them.

''Be a little bit of a bad boy! Bring that badness out of you!''

Abraham's seven goals for Chelsea - a hat-trick vs Wolves and braces against Sheffield United and Norwich City- came against teams not regarded among the top six teams in the Premier League.

Igho Kingsley

Photo Credit : chelseafc.com