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Chelsea will look to mount a double Everton swoop as Jose Mourinho looks to strengthen his Blues squad.
CaughtOffside understands that the Blues boss has set his sights on England international youngster Ross Barkley and will also look to enter the race to sign Leighton Baines and sees the duo as potential replacements for veteran pair Ashley Cole and Frank Lampard.
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Though Roberto Martinez would be loathed to lose the pair Mourinho believes he can tempt the Goodison Park manager to sell by offering striker Romelu Lukaku on a permanent basis as part of a part-exchange deal.
The Belgian has enjoyed an excellent season thus far and the chance to bring in the young striker on a permanent basis may well tempt Martinez, especially if either Baines or Barkley look to force the issue and ask for a transfer away from the Merseyside club.
Mourinho has used Cesar Azpilicueta in recent weeks at left-back and with no sign of imminent contract talks on the horizon there is every chance that 33 year old Blues star Cole will leave the West London club when his contract comes to a close in the summer.
Baines has been strongly linked with a move to Man United but Everton have thus far halted their advances for the 28 year old after seeing their former manager and Marouane Fellaini move to Old Trafford over the summer, indeed the apparent poor relationship between the two clubs may well work in Chelsea’s favour.
Ross Barkley has more than proved himself this term and Roberto Martinez has shown great faith in the teenage midfielder, who Mourinho wants to bring in to take the mantle from 35 year old Chelsea legend Lampard, who like Cole is out of contract in the summer.
Chelsea are reportedly ready to offer £25m plus Lukaku in return for the duo, a deal that may well tempt Toffees chairman Bill Kenwright though any move is likely to come in the summer and not in next month’s transfer window.
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