Chelsea Transfer News: Breaking Down Hottest Rumors on the Market

As soon as the 2013 Summer Transfer Window opened on 1 June, Chelsea were all over the market, flashing money to build next year’s team.

West London’s finest have already secured former Bayer Leverkusen forward Andre Schurrle for £18 million, and are far from finished with courting their men.

New boss Jose Mourinho is eager to put together a top-notch squad with key offseason additions. In Mourinho’s second stint with Chelsea, he has his eye on three players in particular.

Edinson Cavani

The Uruguayan forward is Chelsea’s main target this summer, and is just about locked up, according to Yahoo! Sports.

Cavani has reportedly spurned Real Madrid for a £7.7 million contract with the Blues, who are still trying to work out the transfer fee with Napoli. Club president Aurelio de Laurentiis is demanding £63 million, which Chelsea are reluctant to provide.

Paris Saint-Germain have entered the race at the last minute, but made a lower offer than Chelsea, Sky Sports reported. Still, PSG’s deep-pocketed owners could up the bid if they please.

Marco Van Ginkel

Van Ginkel, a 20-year-old Dutch midfielder playing for Vitesse Arnhem, recently met with Mourinho and is considering a move to Chelsea, per BBC Sport.

Already a star in the Netherlands, Van Ginkel needs to be assured first-team minutes if he is to transfer. The realization that he may come off the bench has cooled Van Ginkel’s interest in the club, though Chelsea are not yet worried.

Stephan El Shaarawy

Chelsea have been linked to the forward for just a couple days, but AC Milan seem surprisingly willing to sell El Shaarawy after the 20-year-old couldn’t gel with Mario Balotelli.

El Shaarawy would cost around £35 million plus Fernando Torres, who the Blues are trying to get rid of to make room for Cavani up top.

Cavani wants to decide his future soon, and Chelsea want to be able to plan out the rest of next year’s team. Mourinho will be welcoming his new striker within two weeks.

Mids Eden Hazard, Oscar, Ramires and Juan Mata all deserve playing time, and if the Blues sign Cavani, Schurrle will be pushed out to the wing. Either Van Ginkel or El Shaarawy will sign, but not both.

Getting Van Ginkel is more likely since he can be a control midfielder, while El Shaarawy would need to compete with Hazard or Schurrle up top.