Chelsea Transfers: 5 Midfielders the Blues Could Sign in January

Much has been made recently by media and pundits about Chelsea's lack of depth in the striker role, with Fernando Torres being the side's only recognised striker.

So, much of Chelsea's possible January transfer dealings have been focused on who would be the right striker to sign as cover or possible competition for Torres.

But Chelsea may also be in the market for a central midfielder.

With Raul Meireles having packed his bags and Michael Essien on loan with his "Daddy" at Real Madrid, Chelsea are left quite limited in midfield options.

Frank Lampard is getting on in years, so a long-term replacement could be a wise idea, so that somebody is integrated in the team by the time Lampard hangs up his boots.

John Obi Mikel does his job in a defensive midfield role, but he needs somebody alongside him that can add to attacking moves more often.

So who could Chelsea look at bringing in to beef up the midfield in the next transfer window?

Marouane Fellaini

If the Daily Mail is to be believed (Ha!) then Fellaini could already be on his way to Chelsea in a staggering £30 million deal.

Now, I don't think Fellaini is worth that much, but he is a very talented footballer.

This could be the main factor in Chelsea opting for the Belgian midfielder, the fact he can actually play football.

He has been playing in more of an advanced role at Everton recently, but in previous seasons he has played in a deeper, more defensive role and looked very impressive.

He tore Manchester United to shreds almost single-handedly earlier this season, showing to all potential buyers that he can be a valuable addition to any side.

Yann M'Vila

Some people were surprised that Yann M'Vila wasn't snapped up by a big European club this summer, me included.

This man is the real deal, and still at the tender age of 22, he is only going to get better.

His vision and passing ability is second-to-none, which is a bonus with defensive midfielders in most cases.

He is Claude Makelele-esque in his positioning and movement. Add to that his ferocity and fearlessness in challenges, and you have an imposing figure for opposition sides to face.

Chelsea would most likely have competition for his signature, with a number of clubs having already shown serious interest in him in the past.

Cheick Tiote

Cheick Tiote has never been scared of a crunching tackle.

Which is probably why he has so many bookings to his name, but look past his disciplinary record and you have a top midfielder.

Tiote is usually renowned for dispossessing opponents, breaking up play and keeping hold of the ball for his side.

But anyone who saw his long pass to set up Demba Ba against Reading (pass of the season, in my opinion) will know the man has vision and top-drawer passing ability.

During the latter stages of the previous transfer window, a number of stories circulated about Chelsea's interest in Tiote.

No deal materialised, but Chelsea could intensify their interest this January window if Tiote keeps playing impressively.

Etienne Capoue

For those who don't follow French club football, Etienne Capoue has really impressed for his club Toulouse, and has earned himself two senior caps for the French national side.

Capoue is still a young man at 24-years-old, and is a midfield general with a strong no-nonsense style to his play that would fit perfectly in to the Premier League.

In Chelsea's current 4-2-3-1 formation, the "2" needs a balance between a playmaker and a player who can break up opposition attacks and move the ball from defence to attack.

This is where Capoue would fit in to the Chelsea set-up.

Alongside someone like Lampard or Ramires, Capoue could provide defensive support and cover while his partner in midfield could be more involved in attacks, assured in the knowledge that Capoue will keep the defence safe and sound.

Add to this the fact that he scores occasionally, and you may have the all-rounder Chelsea have been looking for.

Oriol Romeu

Yes, I am aware that Oriol Romeu is already a Chelsea player, but judging by his recent game time, you could be forgiven for thinking otherwise.

Under Andre Villas-Boas, Romeu saw a lot of game time and looked impressive but for one reason or another, Roberto Di Matteo doesn't seem to be a fan of his.

Romeu is still basically a youth player at only 21 years of age but he has composure and tenacity beyond his years.

If he was to see more game time in the Chelsea midfield then he could improve at a much faster rate than he would sitting on the bench all season.

Chelsea could save some money and give Romeu an opportunity to show his worth this season, and he could be a big part of Chelsea's future.