Which bright young starlets should the west London club be targeting at the turn of the year …?
Premier League giants Chelsea have been linked of late with a whole host of possible new young stars for when the winter transfer window does finally reopen for business in the year in January, and these are the five that we at Caughoffside believe the west London club should be looking to bring to Stamford Bridge in the new year.
Giannelli Imbula (Olympique de Marseille)
The Blues have been heavily linked in recent days with the Ligue 1 club’s in-form France Under-21 international after apparently deciding against making a move for coveted Juventus star Paul Pogba, who the Serie A champions are reportedly valuing at a whopping £40 million.
However, the 21-year-old has a contract in the South of France that runs until June 2018 and so will also not come cheap to buy at the turn of the year, with some estimates valuing the player at around the £25m mark.
Either way, though, the Frenchman is a midfielder that most of Europe has been keeping close tabs on of late, and would be a fine addition to the west Londoners’ first XI were he to make the move across the Channel.
Eliaquim Mangala (FC Porto)
Another Frenchman, although this time a centre back, but again Chelsea may have to break the bank in order to land the in-demand 22-year-old in January.
And that is because the highly rated central defender is perhaps at present the most sought-after player in his position on the Continent, with the likes of fellow Premier League giants Manchester United and Manchester City both known to also be desperate to land the France international next year.
However, Mangala’s reported buyout clause is estimated at £37m, although it is thought that the Portuguese champions would be willing to listen to offers upwards of £25m for their star man in January.
Julian Draxler (Schalke 04)
The classy young German midfielder is another player that many of Europe’s big-name clubs have been scouting for some time now, despite the player’s tender years.
However, after the 20-year-old’s stunning wonder goal for his club against Basel in the Uefa Champions League last month, attention on the centre back has reached new heights.
The one stumbling block though to ‘Mou’ being successful in this is the Germany international’s contract with his Bundesliga club, which last until the summer of 2018, meaning Schalke are not likely to part company with the centre back for anything less than £30m.
Paul Pogba (Juventus)
Again a les Bleus star, although on this occasion of the attacking variety, with the much-talked about 20-year-old having really shot to prominence this season with the Serie A champions.
In fact, the midfield player has been one of the stand-out performers in the whole of Italy since the beginning of the new campaign, and this in a Juve team packed full of world-class talent do not forget.
However, with the ‘Old Lady of Italian Football’ having recently admitted they will be powerless to prevent the France international leaving Turin were the club to receive offers for their starlet in the region of £40m next year, then Chelsea should think long and hard about testing Juventus’ resolve to keep hold of Pogba, who would be a real investment for the future and is only contracted to Juve until 2016.
Koke (Atletico de Madrid)
At present, the Spain international is the talk of La Liga after a blistering past year and a half under the inspirational guidance of Atleti head coach Diego Simeone, so much so that the attacking midfield player has been linked of late with some of the Continent’s biggest clubs, including Premier League champions Manchester United and Spanish title winners FC Barcelona.
And that is why Chelsea boss Mourinho will need to act with great haste if he wishes to lure the 21-year-old to the Bridge, either when the transfer window reopens in January, or as seems more likely at the end of this campaign.
However, the good news for the Portuguese is that Atletico are renowned for being a selling club and were Simeone and Co to receive an offer in excess of £25m for the Spaniard, who currently has a deal at the Vincente Calderon that runs until June 30 2018, then it is understood that the club would be prepared to allow Koke to leave the Spanish capital.