Five big-name players that could join Chelsea in Jose Mourinho’s £100million summer spending spree.
The Daily Mail claims that Rafa Benitez has stated that the man who follows him as Chelsea’s permanent manager this summer will get a hefty £100m transfer war-chest.
The Spaniard even added that three or four targets had already been earmarked, here are five names who could well be under consideration when Roman Abramovich sits down with the next Chelsea boss, who is of course expected to be Jose Mourinho.
5. Andre Schurrle (Bayer Leverkusen)
Chelsea will probably start their summer of big spending with Germany international Andre Schurrle. Reports strongly suggest that this transfer will go through soon. The talented Bayer Leverkusen winger has been watched by Chelsea for some time and has lit up the Bundesliga with his displays this season, becoming the latest in the long line of highly rated young players coming through in German football at the moment.
The 22-year-old has 13 goals and 8 assists this season and for £20million will give Chelsea more options both out wide and upfront, where they are somewhat lacking in goals from unreliable and off-form pair Fernando Torres and Demba Ba. Chelsea youngster Kevin De Bruyne could also help move a deal along by moving in the other direction, though the attacking midfielder is also wanted by Borussia Dortmund.
4. Sami Khedira (Real Madrid)
The German midfielder has been a key performer for Real Madrid since joining the club from Stuttgart in 2010, and if Jose Mourinho takes over at Chelsea he is keen to bring the 26-year-old with him to Stamford Bridge from the Bernebeu. With the club likely to sell the injury-prone Michael Essien in the summer, they will be on the lookout for a defensive midfielder like Khedira to offer an alternative to the likes of John Obi Mikel and Ramires. He won’t come cheap, but would be a good option for the team even at around £25million.
Roma’s Daniele De Rossi has also been linked as the club’s solution for this position, but with Mourinho preferring Khedira, it seems like the most likely move. His Real team-mate Xabi Alonso has also been linked with following Mourinho to West London, but the former Liverpool playmaker has committed his future to the Spanish giants.
3. Marouane Fellaini (Everton)
The Belgian midfielder has been in tremendous form for Everton this season, helping the club push for a top four spot with some towering displays and eleven league goals from the middle of the park. At 25 years of age is now approaching his peak and may be just the kind of physical and aggressive player that Mourinho likes.
Everton are determined to keep hold of him, and will fight off interest from David Moyes, who has just been announced as leaving the club for Manchester United and is being linked with a raid on Goodison Park for players such as Fellaini and Leighton Baines. However, Fellaini would arguably suit Chelsea’s style of play better than United’s, and could almost replicate the job Didier Drogba used to do for the club, albeit from a deeper position. His physical presence, hold-up play and aerial threat could be a useful alternative in a side currently consisting mostly of small and skillful players.
2. Edinson Cavani (Napoli)
The Uruguayan is one of the most sought-after players in Europe at the moment following a fine few years with Napoli. Manchester City are Chelsea’s main competition for the prolific striker, but their current uncertainty over hiring a new manager could slow the process down and give Chelsea the advantage. Robert Lewandowski and Radamel Falcao had also been targets for the Blues, but both now look unavailable, with Lewandowski choosing a move to Borussia Dortmund’s rivals Bayern Munich, and Falcao switching Atletico Madrid for a big-money move to French outfit Monaco.
Cavani is now the club’s main target to replace £50million flop Fernando Torres, who will surely leave the club in the summer after failing to rediscover his best form at Stamford Bridge. Cavani would cost close to the same as Roman Abramovich paid for Torres, but is coming at the peak of his game and seems far less likely to disappoint. The lethal finisher should have a good time finding the back of the net in the Premier League, feeding off the great service from creative players Juan Mata, Eden Hazard and Oscar behind him.
1. Wayne Rooney (Manchester United)
In what would be a sensational move, the biggest rumours at the moment now point to Chelsea being the next destination of unwanted Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney. If the Blues miss out on their main target Edinson Cavani, they could turn to the England striker to be their long-term Didier Drogba replacement. Bayern had been linked with the 27-year-old, but then denied the rumours, and there aren’t many other clubs that could afford his high wages.
Although United would rather not sell to another English club, they are certainly not planning on keeping Rooney after some poor displays this season and his submitted transfer request. This would be something of a shock, but it who better to get one of the most talked about names in football back to his best than Jose Mourinho? Due to his problems at United, he could come surprisingly cheap as well, with £25million being a great price for a player of such potential.