Is the Strength of Chelsea's Squad Scaring off Potential Transfer Targets?

It’s nearly December, which means it’s nearly one month until the January transfer window opens. Much of the focus surrounding Chelsea is on the potential departure of Juan Mata, but there are plenty of players that the Blues are rumoured to be bringing in.

It was the same in the summer. Chelsea were mentioned in every rumour involving Edinson Cavani and Radamel Falcao who ended up at Paris Saint-Germain and Monaco, respectively. Jose Mourinho openly flirted with Wayne Rooney before the England striker committed his future to Manchester United, and both Daniele De Rossi and Hulk opted to stay with their current clubs rather than move to London.

Roman Abramovich may have had Financial Fair Play looming over him when he drew up his summer spending spreadsheet, but there can be no doubt he could have splashed out on at least one of these superstar signings.

The fact that he didn’t does not necessarily indicate that he didn’t want to.

Chelsea’s 26-man squad boasts, in Mourinho’s own words, "12, 13 or 14 players" who could start. There are three strikers competing for one spot up front and at least two quality players fighting for every other outfield position. This competition is healthy, as everybody knows they have to work hard to earn or keep their place. However, the world-class talents that Chelsea are looking to sign have no desire to reduce their playing time ahead of the 2014 World Cup.

Whilst it may be easier to attract a big name after next summer’s tournament, there is a long-term factor to consider. The Blues currently have 26 players out on loan across the continent, and all of them are under 25 years old.

Mourinho has spoken of his dream to build a legacy at Stamford Bridge by developing the exciting crop of young talent he has inherited into a team that can bring success for decades to come.  It would certainly be helpful for Chelsea to have established players in the prime of their career to bridge the gap between youth and experience as the spine of the team begin to think about retirement.

However, the players that the Blues are chasing are looking for immediate superstar status. They will have seen Mata, Chelsea’s Player of the Year, start just eight games so far this season. They will also be aware that Romelu Lukaku is scoring for fun on loan at Everton, and that Eden Hazard’s younger brother has scored 11 goals in 21 appearances for Zulte-Waregem.

Stars that fall into the under-25 age bracket will be wary of joining Chelsea lest they spend two years on loan before being sold, while established stars will want to avoid looking over their shoulders at the youngsters the whole time. The long-term future of the club certainly looks exciting, but the strength of the current squad and the immense potential of the players out on loan could end up harming Chelsea’s short-term prospects.