Chelsea Transfer Rumours: Latest Buzz About Blues' Potential Summer Moves

The summer transfer window is still in its infancy, yet it's already become apparent that Chelsea are setting themselves up as one of the offseason's most active clubs.

They've already landed their biggest top target in manager Jose Mourinho. The 50-year-old Mourinho is returning to his post at Stamford Bridge after a three-year stay with Real Madrid. He previously was the Blues' manager from 2004-2007, where he was among the longest-tenured and most successful skippers in club history.

With Chelsea having finished third in the Premier League table, Mourinho returns to a roster filled with top-level talent. And considering the level of fanfare that's come along with the legendary manager's return to his old stomping grounds, it's fair to say the pressure has been ratcheted up far higher than it was his first time through the world's most famous league.

Luckily, Mourinho has a plan to make Chelsea a competitor again—spend money. There have been rumors that the Blues will give Mourinho a £100 million transfer budget this summer, putting the club in position to land almost every player in the world not named Lionel Messi. And if you believe the rumors that have been flying around since Mourinho's hire, he might just be targeting each and every one of those guys. 

With that in mind, here is a breakdown of all the latest rumblings about the Blues' summer transfer window plans. 

Blues in "Pole Position" To Land Cristiano Ronaldo?

It’s become no secret that Cristiano Ronaldo, the world’s second-greatest player, and Real Madrid aren’t on the best of terms. The 28-year-old striker first publicly declared he was “sad” in September, as contract negotiations between he and the club had gone south.

Though Ronaldo put on a brave face throughout the campaign and again was sterling as an individual, there’s been no real indication the two sides have mended fences. While Ronaldo commands a hefty fee for whichever team lands him, it’s expected that he will be sent packing elsewhere this summer.

Where is the question. Most of the initial speculation centered around Manchester United. Ronaldo starred for the Red Devils from 2003-2009 and has always been a fan favorite for fans at Old Trafford. He was sold to Real Madrid for a world-record fee of £80 million after Ronaldo grew unhappy and requested a transfer.

Well, absence makes the heart grow fonder. But it’s looking increasingly unlikely that Ronaldo will return to Old Trafford. According to David Kent of the Daily Mail, former Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon notes that Chelsea have become the favorites to land Ronaldo rather than Manchester United:

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Former Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon has raised the prospect of Cristiano Ronaldo following Jose Mourinho to Chelsea... after dismissing Manchester United's chances of re-signing the Portuguese star.

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Ronaldo played under Mourinho at Real. Though the two have had an up-and-down relationship to say the least, Mourinho has reportedly made Ronaldo a top summer target.

While there is a ton of logistics work to be done, Chelsea are one of a select few clubs with a transfer kitty high enough to land Ronaldo. It will be interesting to see whether he has more interest in discontinuing his relationship with Mourinho or Real over the next few weeks. 

Mourinho Preparing Sizable Bid for Mario Gomez?

Landing the summer’s biggest fish may be a top priority for Chelsea, but reality is often far different from desire during transfer windows. That means having first, second, third and fifteenth options is necessary—even for a club as deep-pocketed as the Blues.

Much of the early window rumblings tabbed Wayne Rooney as Chelsea’s secondary attacking target behind Ronaldo. However, Paris Saint-Germain have stepped up their offer and are willing to match Rooney’s current wages at Manchester United if the 27-year-old striker chooses to leave, per The Guardian’s Dominic Fifield.

With the Red Devils certainly looking to send Rooney outside the Premier League if he’s moved, PSG seems to be in the pole position should he be moved.

If that’s the case, it seems Mourinho and Co. already have their next target waiting in the wings. According to the Daily Mail's John Edwards, Chelsea are preparing to make a £25 million bid for Bayern Munich striker Mario Gomez:

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Chelsea are lining up a £25million bid to make Mario Gomez the spearhead of a new-look attack under Jose Mourinho. Despite also competing with Manchester City and Monaco for Radamel Falcao, Chelsea-bound Mourinho wants a strong physical presence up front and has identified Bayern Munich frontrunner Gomez as the prime candidate.

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The 27-year-old Gomez has emerged as one of Bundesliga's most respected and powerful attackers sine arriving with Bayern Munich. That all changed this past season, though, as Gomez was pushed to the outskirts of the starting rotation after the acquisition of Mario Mandzukic.

Gomez started just nine games in Bundesliga competition. Unsurprisingly, that has not sat well with Gomez and he's become an interesting buy-low candidate for Chelsea.

Still in his prime, Gomez would be a more than adequate secondary option if Rooney and Ronaldo fall through the cracks. 

David Luiz on His Way Out?

One of the biggest positives of the 2012-13 season for Chelsea has been the development of David Luiz. The 26-year-old Luiz joined Chelsea the same year as the oft-maligned Fernando Torres and has become one of the world's best central defenders.

Known colloquially for his long, frizzy mop of hair, the Brazilian star has become a fan favorite at Stamford Bridge. His expert shift to the holding midfield role has been something to behold for Chelsea, as they stormed to a late-season run to finish third in the Premier League table.

By all accounts, Luiz was a complete steal and is one of the club's driving forces. He even became a bit of an offensive force down the stretch in the midfield.

One problem: Mourinho doesn't seem to be much of a fan of Luiz's style of play. According to a Daily Mail report (h/t ESPN), Chelsea will look to find Luiz a new home quickly this summer:

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It seems a series of cracking goals and a successful move into the midfield wasn't enough for David Luiz to impress Chelsea's likely next manager Jose Mourinho. According to the Daily Mail, Luiz could be the first casualty of Mourinho's reign, with the Real Madrid boss not a fan of the 26-year-old's defensive abilities.

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The report cites FC Barcelona and Real Madrid as two teams that would likely target Luiz—and for good reason. While Luiz isn't the greatest defender in the world, his versatility was apparent for Chelsea this past season and he's a fit for almost any scheme.

On the positive side of this development, Chelsea should be able to land a sizable fee in return for Luiz. Which, of course, is more than they can say about Fernando Torres. 

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