Stamford Bridge side ready to splash the cash.
Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho is seemingly very keen to strengthen his Blues squad after an indifferent start to the current campaign. The Portuguese boss has been heavily linked with a raft of possible January Transfer window purchases with four targets in particular catching the eye.
FC Porto centre-back Eliaquim Mangala is a much coveted commodity at present with a number of sides pursuing the French international following a rock solid season at the Estadio Dragao last term which saw the 22 year old help the club to a domestic title having conceded just 14 goals in 30 Primeira Liga fixtures.
Mourinho may see Mangala as a long term replacement for John Terry though will have to fork out a cool £37m just to trigger the 22 year old’s release clause.
The Chelsea manager can call upon David Luiz, Gary Cahill and Branislav Ivanovic as alternatives to aging skipper Terry so such a big outlay may well not be all that urgent.
Marseille midfielder Imbula has impressed since breaking into the first team set-up following his move to the Stade Velodrome from Guingamp and Arsenal are also said to be keen on the French Under 21 international.
The young Belgian born French Under 21 international could be seen as an alternative defensive midfield option to the likes of John Obi Mikel or Michael Essien and at 21 years of age could very much be ‘one for the future’ who is more than capable of making an immediate impact.
Imbula has a £25m release clause, which may be deemed a hefty price to pay for a player still seeking a first full senior national team cap.
Prior to his move to Marseille Imbula racked up over 100 appearances for Guingamp.
Galatasaray are reportedly ready to listen to offers for Dutch international Wesley Sneijder and Chelsea are known to be interested in the experienced Dutch international.
Jose Mourinho is still good friends with his former Inter Milan charge, who helped lead the San Siro side to a glorious treble in his first season at the club.
Mancini is keen to conduct an overhaul of the squad he inherited from Fatih Terim but is at the limit of his allotted foreign player quota and as such may feel that selling Sneijder could act as a a means to an end.
Sneijder moved to Galatasaray in January and has scored five goals in 23 appearances, helping the club to a Super Lig title last term as well as having a hand in guiding Gala to the Champions League quarter-finals.
Chelsea’s current quartet of striking options; Fernando Torres, Demba Ba, Samuel Eto’o and Andre Schurrle, have scored just one Premier League goal between them and Mourinho is therefore being linked with a number of potential additions.
Perhaps the most interesting of these targets is Aston Villa’s Christian Benteke, who is apparently the subject of growing interest, with Chelsea among a host of clubs keen on the £15m rated forward.
Over the course of the past 18 months Benteke has more than proven himself at Premier League level, indeed his return of 19 goals in 34 top tier appearances last term essentially saved Paul Lambert’s side from relegation.
The Belgian international has managed four goals in five games thus far this term and would presumably jump at the chance of a move to Stamford Bridge where he would join fellow compatriots Eden Hazard, Kevin de Bruyne as well as currently loaned out pair Romelu Lukaku and Thibaut Courtois.