A quartet the Stamford Bridge side could sign with the transfer funds said to be made available to the incoming Blues boss this summer.
Chelsea will reportedly target three or four players with an estimated £100m transfer warchest being made available to whomever replaces Rafa Benitez, with that in mind we look at four players the Blues could sign with the money available, additions that could well help the West London club mount a genuine Premier League title challenge whilst re-asserting themselves on the Champions League stage following their fall at the first hurdle of the competition this season.
Radamel Falcao (Atletico Madrid)
Estimated value: £50m
Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich will want to bring in a ‘Marquee’ signing or two to help erase the memory of what has all in all been a poor season for the former Champions League title holders.
Radamel Falcao could be the ideal man to lead the Chelsea attack, the Colombian is quick and a big physical presence who could thrive in the Premier League.
Talk of a possible move to Monaco for the 27 year old may be a tad premature, Abramovich will certainly be keeping tabs on the Atletico Madrid goal machine.
Falcao netted 36 goals in his first season at the Vicente Calderon and has amassed 34 in just 40 appearances in all competitions this term and given Atletico Madrid’s history of selling star players there could well be a good chance they will elect to cash in on the former FC Porto man.
Abramovich may opt to use former Atletico Madrid man Fernando Torres as a makeweight in any such move, killing two birds with one stone.
Luke Shaw (Southampton)
Estimated value: £10m
Ashley Cole isn’t getting any younger and 17 year old Luke Shaw could well be the ideal long term replacement for the England veteran and happily for Chelsea it turns out that the Southampton man is a big Blues fan!
Shaw has excelled since breaking into the Saints first team this term and has already received an England Under 21 call-up and would surely be tempted by a possible move to Stamford Bridge.
Southampton may well be loathed to lose the youngster but have in the past accepted offers for previous top talents like Gareth Bale, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Theo Walcott so there is every chance that a good offer would be accepted by the St Mary’s side.
Marouane Fellaini (Everton)
Estimated value: £24m
The powerful Belgian could perhaps act as a good replacement for Frank Lampard. Yes the Everton man is not exactly the same style of player as the England midfielder but like the Chelsea record goal-scorer the 25 year old provides goals from the centre of the park, supporting the strikers every chance he gets.
David Moyes leaving Goodison Park could well lead to interested parties looking to take advantage of any uncertainty and Fellaini has previously made it clear he wants Champions League football and a move to Chelsea may well be a distinct possibility.
Andre Schurrle (Bayer Leverkusen)
Estimated value: £16m
The young attacker is reported to have agreed terms with Chelsea and the £20m rated forward is expected to complete a move to the club pending an agreement on a fee for the 22 year old’s services.
Some sources believe that the addition of Chelsea’s Belgian international Kevin de Bruyne into the bargain could be key though this source states that a straight cash deal may suffice.
Schurrle has had an excellent season at the BayArena this term, scoring and assisting with regularity and in the process helping his side to secure a Champions League spot for next term.
The adaptable attacker would fit well alongside the likes of Juan Mata and Eden Hazard, the German international is comfortable on the ball and can play in a number of attacking areas and adheres to Roman Abramovich’s youthful transfer policy.