Chelsea Transfers: Top 6 Last-Minute Targets for the Blues

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With only 21 days to go before the end of the summer transfer window 2011, European clubs are busy trying to tie up deals for their supposed targets.

Some big money transfers have already taken place, such as Alexis Sanchez to Barcelona and Sergio Aguero to Manchester City.

Chelsea Football Club may not have added any household names to their roster. However, they have recruited three youngsters in Thibaut Courtois, Oriol Romeu and Romelu Lukaku, all of whom I regard as superstars in the making.

The Blues have persistently been linked with Luka Modric and Samir Nasri. In fact, in Modric’s case, the Blues had two concrete offers turned down by London rivals Tottenham Hotspurs.

With the hopes of landing either of them diminishing by the second, it’s only normal that Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas has turned his attention to other possible signings for strengthening the squad.

Here are six last-minute targets of the club, players who have been linked with the Pensioners over the course of the past week. I will analyse each of them and study the possibility of purchase in each case.

Adam Johnson

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Adam Johnson has pace, trickery and a sweet left foot. His signing makes perfect sense for the Blues, as they have been lacking potent wing threats since the days of Robben and Duff. The 24-year-old is English, and would hence be classified as a home-grown player.

Likely To Cost: £20 million will be the minimum City will expect to get from his sale. Chelsea would agree to a price in the £20-25 million range, methinks.

Likeliness Of A Deal Being Struck: 2/5. Johnson is used as an impact sub for City. He can expect more starts at Chelsea as they lack genuine width. However, it's unlikely that this deal will go through, as City wouldn't want to sell any of their players to direct rivals. Besides, he is by no stretch of the imagination unwanted at City.

Alvaro Pereira

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The left-footed Uruguay international showed his worth at Porto last season. He can play as both a wing-back and a winger. He is hard working, strong and contributes with goals on a regular basis. He's only 25, and Villas-Boas knows him very well.

Likely To Cost: £25 million. Chelsea will have to pay the entire amount to activate the buyout clause in Pereira's contract. Nothing less will do.

Likeliness Of A Deal Being Struck: 2/5. He would be a worthy replacement for Yuri Zhirkov. However, buying him at £25 million is not very sensible. Besides, it's time to give chances to the left sided youngsters Kakuta, Bertrand and Van Aanholt, who have shown promise. A new left back is not an absolute necessity.

Scott Parker

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The 30-year-old was by far West Ham's best player last season. He can dictate play from deep and is a hard tackling midfielder. Being English, he too will fall in the category of homegrown players. He might be just what the Pensioners need right now, and they have already been chasing him for a while.

Likely To Cost: The Hammers are demanding £8 million for the man who was their skipper last year. Alternatively, they are willing to loan him out for a year, and then have him back if they make a return to top-flight football next year.

Likeliness Of A Deal Being Struck: 3/5. With Essien out for half a year and the extent of Mikel's injury not known (he picked up a knock against Rangers), the acquisition of Parker might be a good move for the short term. It remains to be seen if the Blues give in to West Ham's demands of £8 million.

Gregory Van Der Wiel

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Gregory Van Der Wiel has been a target of the Stamford Bridge outfit for a long time. It is believed that a new signing for the right back spot is needed, someone who is more of an attacking threat as compared to Ivanovic. Especially as Jose Bosingwa hasn’t succeeded again in reaching the heights of his first season.

Likely To Cost: It is believed Ajax want at least £15 million for their 23-year-old Dutchman. I have to say, that's a reasonable price.

Likeliness Of A Deal Being Struck: 3/5. This might be a good deal for both parties. Ajax will get a transfer fee somewhere in the region of £15 million. Chelsea will gain a player with age on his side and the ability to be the long term right back solution. This deal could happen.

Freddy Guarin

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Freddy Guarin is what I'd call an all-rounder. He is versatile and can play anywhere in midfield. He is a goal scoring midfielder, as his finishing is good. He's not all about attack and does his defensive work diligently. He is one of those calm, cool characters that know how to get the job done.

Likely To Cost: £10-15 million is what I think the Blues will offer for him, and I expect Porto to accept such a bid. It would make a "value for money" deal, and both clubs would be satisfied with it.

Likeliness Of A Deal Being Struck: 3/5. Porto will not be happy with a mass exodus of players to Chelsea, something which has happened before when Mourinho jumped ship. But Chelsea could surely do with his industry. So if they get him for £10 million or so, then he'd make a great coup.

Alexandre Pato

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Pato is only 21 and has enjoyed a prolific season at AC Milan, scoring 16 goals in 33 appearances. He is one of the brightest young talents to come out of Brazil in recent times. His strengths are his finishing and dribbling. He'd be a good addition to any team, but Chelsea are not in desperate need to make a move.

Likely To Cost: £25-30 million is reportedly what the Rossoneri want for the man nicknamed "The Duck." However, I can't see Chelsea coughing up the money at the moment, as this is hardly where reinforcements are needed.

Likeliness Of A Deal Being Struck: 1/5. With a plethora of options to choose from for the centre forward role, Villas-Boas will surely be foolish to make a £30 million outlay on Pato. With Lukaku recently signed, I don't think Chelsea is in the market for another striker. So Pato pulling on the Blue shirt is not something that will happen this summer.

Your Opinion

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What do you think Chelsea FC plans to do in the last three weeks of the summer transfer window? As usual, I'm waiting to hear your views.