Chelsea are understood to be eyeing a double transfer swoop in the January transfer window as Jose Mourinho looks to salvage the reigning champions’ miserable season.
The Blues were defeated by league leaders Leicester City on Monday evening, a loss which leaves them down in 16th place in the Premier League table.
After 16 matches, the Pensioners have won only four matches, losing nine, and on 15 points, they find themselves a remarkable 20 points behind leaders Leicester.
According to the Express, the Stamford Bridge heavyweights are eyeing two players as they look to revive their flagging campaign.
Fichajes [via the Express] report that Chelsea are in pole position to sign precocious AS Monaco youngster Bernardo Silva, and are primed to meet the £21.6 million asking price set by the Club of the Principality.
However, the tabloid notes that Barcelona are also eyeing a move for the Portuguese youngster, and may yet look to rival Chelsea.
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The second player wanted by Mourinho is Shakhtar Donetsk’s Alex Teixeira, although the Ukraine side’s coach Mircea Lucescu has warned the Blues that they will need to pay at least £28.9 million if they want to sign the attacker in January.
“Alex is now worth more than 40 million Euros (£28.9m),” the Romanian coach told the Express as above. “I think at the end of the season – were he to continue with this performance – his value is 50 million Euros (£36.1m).”
Teixeira, unlike Bernardo Silva, would not be eligible to play in the Champions League knockout stages, having already featured in the group stages of this year’s competition.