With the January transfer window now less than three weeks away from opening, we take a look at five possible new recruits that the Blues are targeting in the new year.
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Giannelli Imbula (Olympique de Marseille)
The west London club are believed to be keen to strengthen in the holding midfield role at Stamford Bridge in the second half of the season as doubts continue to grow about the long-term suitability of experienced Nigeria international John Obi Mikel.
And as a result, the Blues head coach Jose Mourinho is expecting to make a move the Ligue 1 giants’ France Under-21 international when the window opens again next month, as the self-styled Special One looks to give his at times porous back four better protection in the second half of this campaign, according to reports in the Daily Express.
Radamel Falcao (AS Monaco)
It does not take a rocket scientist to work out where Chelsea’s struggles have been so far in this campaign, with the club having found it hard at times to put the ball in the back of the net, especially amongst their misfiring front men Demba Ba, Samuel Eto’o and Fernando Torres.
And with the west Londoners’ boss Jose Mourinho having been spotted recently in the Belgium capital keeping close tabs on the deadly Colombia striker, do not be surprised at all if the Uefa Europa League holders make a play for the 27-year-old come the turn of the year, especially as the player is understood to be unsettled at present with life in the South of France.
Luke Shaw (Southampton)
As doubts continue to grow over the long-term future of veteran England international Ashley Cole at Stamford Bridge, with the left back having barely been seen in a Chelsea shirt since the club’s shock 2-0 loss to Newcastle United in the Premier League, the Blues have been on the look-out of late for a replacement at the back for Cole.
And the man that Jose Mourinho is said to want to take over from Cole is Southampton’s highly rated England U21 international, with the 18-year-old considered by many judges to already be the best in his position in the English top flight.
However, if reports in the Daily Express are to be believed, then with Shaw having only recently agreed a new bumper long-term contract with the south coast club until June 2018, then Chelsea will need to smash the British transfer record for a teenager if they do want to land the £30 million-rated Englishman when the window opens in January.
Andrea Ranocchia (Inter Milan)
By all accounts, the Premier League giants are planning for life in the capital without the services of in-demand Brazil centre-back David Luiz going forward, with the popular defender set to be on his way to La Liga champions FC Barcelona in the new year.
However, Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho is understood to have already targeted a replacement central defender for the Barca-bound Luiaz, and that player is Inter’s coveted Italy international, a man with a glowing reputation back in his homeland as being one of the most impressive defenders in the league.
And now the Blues will attempt to lure Ranocchia to west London in January, according to the Daily Mirror.
Blaise Matuidi (Paris Saint-Germain)
Another defensive midfielder that the Uefa Europa League holders have been eyeing up of late, according to reports in the Daily Star, although the 26-year-old is a player that can be bought on the cheap though when the winter window opens again for business at the turn of the year.
And that is because the France international’s current contract at the Parc des Princes only runs until June 30 2014, meaning that the Ligue 1 champions may prefer to offload the player to Chelsea in a cut-price deal in January, as opposed to losing the Frenchman on a free at the end of this season.