Ten players being linked with Chelsea who would make good additions for Jose Mourinho.
Luke Shaw (Southampton)
This talented young defender has burst onto the scene this season in the Premier League in his first season in the Southampton first team. Luke Shaw is a 17-year-old left-back who could become the latest product of the Saints’ famed youth academy to become a star of English football. Compared to a young Gareth Bale with his ability going forward, he has attracted strong interest from Arsenal, Manchester United and Tottenham, though it is believed that Chelsea are winning the race to sign him this summer. The youngster has himself admitted to being a boyhood Chelsea fan, and though Southampton will fight hard to keep him, it will be difficult for him to turn down a move to a big club that he is obviously fond of. Mourinho will recognise that Ashley Cole is getting older and possibly past his best, and Shaw would be an excellent long-term replacement for the Blues in that position. He won’t come cheap, but Chelsea can afford it, and may make an exception here in their policy of signing more experienced, big-name players, as Shaw looks certain to be a star of the future.
Eliaquim Mangala (Porto)
With the possible departures of John Terry and David Luiz at centre-back, Mourinho will need to bring in reinforcements for his defence. He is supposedly a big admirer of Porto youngster Eliaquim Mangala, a 22-year-old French international, who is valued at around £30million after a superb couple of seasons in Portugal. Mourinho is widely tipped to make a move for Mangala, and the player himself is flattered to hear of his interest, saying: “It’s flattering because Chelsea are a great club and Mourinho is a great coach. I intended to stay in Porto but you never know what will happen in football, especially when big clubs are involved.” As well as being a solid defender, he has shown a great eye for goal this season, with an impressive 7 goals from the back in all competitions for Porto, and he looks like he would quickly become first choice at Stamford Bridge next season, and only improve under Mourinho’s expert guidance.
Luka Modric (Real Madrid)
After signing Luka Modric for Real Madrid from Tottenham last summer, Mourinho is now said to be keen to bring the Croatian midfielder back to the Premier League with him to Chelsea. The former Spurs star did not really settle in Spain and was not always a regular in Mourinho’s team this season, but he still rates him highly after he emerged as one of the best midfielders in the Premier League during his time at White Hart Lane. Chelsea could do with a playmaker of his kind to play a little deeper than the likes of Juan Mata, Oscar, and Eden Hazard, and Roman Abramovich is also apparently a fan of his, having tried to sign him from Spurs a couple of seasons ago. It would be great for neutrals to see Modric back in English football, and he could be a very useful addition to this increasingly technical and attack-minded Chelsea lineup. One of several players Mourinho is reportedly keen on bringing with him from the Bernabeu.
Andre Schurrle (Bayer Leverkusen)
Although this deal looked to have been in the bag for quite some time now, it has emerged that it is still not complete. Jose Mourinho will hold official talks with Bayer Leverkusen and Andre Schurrle over this long-time target for Chelsea, as it remains to be seen if the talented young German is in his plans for the Blues next season. The 22-year-old winger is one of the best young talents coming out of German football at the moment and Mourinho should certainly look to complete a deal to bring him to the club. Schurrle has 14 goals and 8 assists this season and can play either out wide or upfront, and would definitely help provide Chelsea with more of a goal threat than the likes of Fernando Torres and Demba Ba have this year. He is also a big game player, providing an assist as Bayer Leverkusen became the only team to beat Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich in the league this season with a 2-1 win at the Allianz Arena. He would certainly offer something a little different from Mata, Oscar and Hazard, who all play in a similar fashion behind the main striker, providing more width and directness to the Blues’ play.
Hulk (Zenit St Petersburg)
One of the biggest names in world football could be on his way to Stamford Bridge this summer, following reports that Jose Mourinho has made a £35million offer to bring Hulk to Chelsea from Zenit St Petersburg. The Brazilian has developed a great reputation over the last few years, first emerging as a world class talent at Porto, before making a big-money move to Russia, where he has struggled to find his best form. His physical presence, skill and fantastic shooting ability would make him an ideal long-term replacement for Blues legend Didier Drogba, and he can also give them a good option out wide. Chelsea are currently short of this kind of ability upfront, with Fernando Torres and Demba Ba both horribly off the boil, and Hulk looks like exactly what they need. It would also be exciting for Premier League fans in general to see such a big name arrive in England.
Sami Khedira (Real Madrid)
Another player who could be making the trip from Madrid to London with Mourinho is German midfielder Sami Khedira. The 26-year-old has been an integral part of Mourinho’s team at Real Madrid since the Portuguese manager signed him from Stuttgart in 2010, and could be an improvement on current first choice defensive midfielder John Obi Mikel. Khedira is solid defensively, but is also a better all-round midfielder than Mikel, able to bring the ball forward and chip in with goals and assists. He could form an excellent partnership with Modric if Mourinho is also successful in bringing him to the club from Real Madrid, as they will know each other’s games well. This is definitely a signing worth pursuing for the Portuguese tactician as he looks to build a title-winning team upon his arrival back in England.
Stevan Jovetic (Fiorentina)
Long-time Arsenal target Stevan Jovetic has emerged as surprise candidate for Chelsea’s priority signing of the summer, as Mourinho is reportedly keen to swoop in and sign the Fiorentina striker from under the Gunners’ noses. The Montenegro international has been one of Serie A’s finest players this season and should be available for around £25million, a price that Arsenal are reportedly trying to negotiate downwards. With Abrahmovich’s millions behind him, Mourinho should have no problem in outbidding Arsenal for the 23-year-old, and would be doing well to both beat a rival to a top player, and solve the club’s current striking crisis. Jovetic would certainly be an improvement on Torres and Ba, and his playing style would fit Chelsea perfectly, with his combination of power and skill. Juventus are also said to be chasing him, but Fiorentina are keen to avoid selling him to a rival Serie A club, which would give Mourinho the advantage if he does decide to pursue this further.
Edin Dzeko (Manchester City)
One name who was quickly linked strongly to Chelsea upon Mourinho’s arrival as manager was Manchester City striker Edin Dzeko. The Bosnian has not been the greatest success at the Etihad Stadium since arriving for big money from Wolsburg in 2011, impressing only in fits and starts and showing himself to be a little slow and off the pace in the English game. He was widely tipped to be sold this summer, with the likes of Napoli, Fiorentina and Borussia Dortmund said to be monitoring his situation, but it now seems that Mourinho is hoping to bring him to Chelsea. The 27-year-old would perhaps be more suited to Chelsea’s style of play, and is the kind of tall and powerful forward that Mourinho likes to have. It is not yet clear if City will be prepared to sell him to a rival, but Chelsea could do well to give Dzeko a chance to resurrect his career in the Premier League, as he has obviously shown great potential in the past with his goal scoring record in Germany.
Raphael Varane (Real Madrid)
One of the best young defenders in the game at the moment, Raphael Varane makes up the final player in Mourinho’s list of Real Madrid players he would like to take with him to Chelsea. This outstanding 20-year-old was given his chance in the first team at the Bernabeu this season and has really shone, establishing himself as undisputed first choice now with some highly impressive displays in shutting down Lionel Messi repeatedly in games against Barcelona. It has been rumoured that Chelsea’s David Luiz could move in the other direction, as he is not really rated by Mourinho but wanted in Spain by both Real and Barca, and he could be used as a good negotiating tool to bring Varane to Stamford Bridge. There is no doubt the young Frenchman would adapt seamlessly to English football and develop into one of the top defenders in the world under Mourinho at Chelsea. After it was the Portuguese boss that gave him his chance at Real, it wouldn’t be surprising if he were keen to follow him to the Premier League this summer.
Edinson Cavani (Napoli)
Certainly one of the best strikers in the world at the moment, Edinson Cavani’s form for Napoli over the last few years has attracted attention from the biggest clubs around Europe. Manchester City are currently favourites to sign the Uruguayan, but Chelsea are rumoured to be lining up a massive £54million bid plus possibly Fernando Torres in exchange to beat their rivals to his signature. Real Madrid are also interested in the 26-year-old and it will surely be between these three clubs as there are few others who could afford the kind of big money that this world class talent would command. Cavani has 104 goals in 138 games for Napoli, an outstanding record, and would surely have a big say on the title race next season, adding that kind of finishing ability to either of these teams, where he would surely only improve with the kind of service coming from the likes of Juan Mata behind him. Mourinho will want to make a big impact quickly upon his return to Stamford Bridge, and what better way to do it than by signing one of the world’s most sought-after strikers?