5 Players Jose Mourinho Will Look to Sell If He Returns to Chelsea

It seems as if Chelsea are going to get their man with their Russian owner, Roman Abramovich, set to hire Jose Mourinho for a second spell in charge of the West London club as Rafa Benitez makes way.

But will the arrival of the Portuguese tactician spell the end of some Chelsea players' careers who were making progress under Benitez?

Could it mark yet another shift in how Chelsea will operate in both the transfer market and on the pitch?

The club has been renowned for bringing in young talent with both Eden Hazard and Oscar arriving from Lille and Internacional, respectively, last summer. As a result, the senior management has been tasked with eradicating the dead wood from Stamford Bridge as Chelsea finalize their transition period.

Here, we take a look at some of the current playing squad who could find their days numbered at Stamford Bridge.

Gary Cahill

Gary Cahill has experienced something of a roller-coaster second season at Chelsea, putting in some excellent defensive performances that have saved his team at times.

At other points, however, one can only feel that he doesn't quite possess the same quality as the other Chelsea players, and that could be something that Jose Mourinho will be hoping to change.

A £7 million signing from Bolton in January 2012, Cahill played some part in the Blues' Champions League and FA Cup double success. A physical presence at the back, both aerially and in the tackle, the English international is certainly a valued member of the squad.

You can't help but feel that with John Terry, a known ally of Mourinho and the connection between the Portuguese native and David Luiz, Cahill's days could be cut short.

Of course, as with any player approaching the prime period of his career, Chelsea would be obliged to ask for a fee similar to what they paid Bolton 16 months ago.

Demba Ba

With Fernando Torres hitting 20 goals this season, it seems the Spaniard is finally reaching the expectations at Stamford Bridge. And with 16 goals before his arrival, Demba Ba was tipped to add to that tally.

But the former Newcastle striker, signed for £7 million in January to help solve the Blues' striker crisis, has failed to hit top form, netting just six times in his 21 appearances for Chelsea.

With Torres the only designated striker available for the Europa League after appearing for his previous club, Ba has been limited to domestic games and has struggled to adapt to the Blues' style of play.

The Senegal forward's quality is undeniable, with his stunning strike against Manchester United a clear indication of that.

But with young striker Romelu Lukaku due back from his loan spell at West Brom, it seems that Ba could be the man who is sacrificed to make way for new recruits. And with his self-confessed admiration for Paris Saint-Germain, a move to France could be on the cards.

Marko Marin

There's no doubt that Chelsea have an array of attacking talent at the club, and the fact they are looking to add more to their current squad spells bad news for the likes of Marko Marin.

The German international has experienced a season to forget at Stamford Bridge, making just 15 appearances with the majority coming from the bench. His last Premier League appearance came six weeks ago in their 2-1 defeat to Southampton.

Marin represented his country at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, but he has suffered a slump in form ever since with the 23-year-old plagued by injury and lack of confidence.

Needless to say, Mourinho would be willing to give the former Werder Bremen winger a chance to prove himself, but based on his current performances, it seems the Bosnian-born midfielder is poised to leave, either on loan or a permanent transfer.

To recuperate the £6.5 million fee they paid just over a year ago would be a shrewd piece of business, and with CSKA Moscow showing an interest to take Marin in January, the Russians could be willing to make a second approach. 

Gael Kakuta

During the reign of Jose Mourinho, Chelsea signed a highly-rated French starlet named Gael Kakuta in 2007 from French club RC Lens.

Little did they know that the controversy that would follow the signing would impede the club to the degree that a transfer embargo would be placed on the club.

Since then, Kakuta has failed to live up to the hype at Chelsea with several loan spells out, including to Vitesse Arnhem where he is currently placed.

The 22-year-old has reaffirmed his desire to leave Stamford Bridge after finding first-team opportunities limited, and with Mourinho set to return, that doesn't look like it will change.

Kevin De Bruyne

If Chelsea were to ever have a carbon copy of Arjen Robben, Kevin De Bruyne would surely top the list.

The Belgian winger, who is yet to make a competitive appearance for Chelsea despite signing from Genk for £7 million in January 2012, has been on loan at Bundesliga outfit Werder Bremen this season.

His performances have certainly not gone unnoticed, with De Bruyne featuring as one of the key men in a disappointing campaign for the Germans with eight goals and nine assists in 32 games.

The talent is not an issue at all; used in the preseason tour in the USA, he showed some glimpses of what he can do in a Chelsea shirt.

However, with Champions League finalists Borussia Dortmund interested after losing star playmaker Mario Gotze, a double-your-money transfer could be on the cards, and if a bid of around £15 million arrived, Mourinho would find it hard to refuse such an offer.