Exclusive: Chelsea Plot Spending Spree as Jose Mourinho Targets £70m Trio

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Diego Costa Atletico Madrid

Stamford Bridge side identify three summer targets.

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Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho will be handed a significant summer transfer warchest as Blues owner Roman Abramovich looks to back the Portuguese manager.

CaughtOffside understands that Mourinho has identified three prime targets he hopes improve his Stamford Bridge squad and moves for the trio could cost the West London club as much as £70m.

Mourinho’s main area of concern is a lack of a prolific forward to lead his attack and having been linked with interest in Ligue 1 pair Edinson Cavani and Radamel Falcao, two players who are in their first seasons at PSG and AS Monaco respectively, the former Real Madrid manager has set his sights on Atletico Madrid goal machine Diego Costa.

The Brazilian born striker has scored 21 goals in 23 La Liga starts this season, helping Diego Simeone’s side to mount a genuine title challenge, but a move to Chelsea would perhaps offer Costa a massive pay-rise and the 25 year old may feel he has achieved as much as he can at over-achieving Atletico Madrid.

Chelsea are ready to offer around £35m for the Vicente Calderon star.

Mourinho is ready to stump up £20m for Everton youngster Ross Barkley, with the Portuguese manager seeing the England international as a long term replacement.

Such an offer could be hard for the Goodison Park side to turn down though Roberto Martinez has seen chairman Bill Kenwright turn down offers for Leighton Baines in recent transfer windows.

Chelsea’s chances of securing Barkley will be greatly improved if Everton fail to secure a top four finish, which is looking more likely following the Toffees run of poor form which has seen the Merseyside club lose three of their last four Premier League fixtures.

Ross Barkley Everton Newcastle

Ross Barkley has been a regular in the Everton starting line-up this term and has greatly impressed, displaying consistent form that has led to a call-up by Roy Hodgson and could yet see the 20 year old sneak into the 2014 World Cup finals squad.

Luke Shaw Southampton

Mourinho sees Southampton left-back Luke Shaw as a long term replacement for another Chelsea veteran, Ashley Cole, with the Blues ready to table an opening £15m bid for the teenager.

Chelsea are ready to trim their expansive squad ahead of potential new additions as Jose Mourinho looks to adhere to UEFA’s FFP (Financial Fair Play) guidelines with the likes of John Obi Mikel, Marko Marin, Romelu Lukaku, Thibaut Courtois, Fernando Torres and Demba Ba all strongly linked with summer exits.

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