Chelsea Transfer News: Dani Alves Would Be Brilliant Signing for Blues

Chelsea are set to lock horns with Arsenal, Manchester United and Manchester City as they look to snap up Dani Alves, per Express' Ben Jefferson.

The Barcelona right-back looks set to leave the Camp Nou at the end of the season, after the Catalan club made him and Alex Song available for purchase, according to Marca.

Leaving the Brazilian star in limbo, Chelsea are set to pounce for the marauding defender, and will use their financial power to influence the transfer.

Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images

Total Barca senior editor Enrique Schoh noted that this isn't the first time that Alves has been linked with an exit, and stated that Barcelona are better with Alves in the starting XI:

At 30, Alves is reaching the peak of his career, and a move to the Premier League may offer him a chance to try something new before retirement.

Chelsea, currently employing Branislav Ivanovic in the right-back role, may opt for Alves' attacking flair as Jose Mourinho continues to mould his squad.

With little competition for Ivanovic, who is more sure-and-steady than a wing-back, the arrival of a more offensive player could add depth to the squad.

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A good move, too, should Mourinho look to get back to the overlapping full-back display as operated by Paulo Ferreira and Ashley Cole during his first stint as Blues' boss.

It's a system that Mourinho prefers, with an anchoring midfielder (like Nemanja Matic) to allow the overlap, as seen by the Portuguese manager's previous signings Khalid Boulahrouz and Asier del Horno.

Alves has also shown his prowess with passing, highlighted several times in the following video, by using a range of techniques to set up a number of exquisite goals for Barcelona over the years: 

In 2011, Alves signed a new contract with Barcelona that is set to run until next summer, per Champions League.

But with Gerardo Martino looking to get rid of the Brazil star, it could see Alves' resolve tested as he recently criticised Manchester City for showing a lack of class.

Speaking with Mirror's Steve Bates ahead of Barcelona's recent 2-0 win against City, he stated that he was not a fan of City's tendency to buy success:

"

City have good players – but they will never be Barcelona. They are a modern football club built on big transfer fees – but at Barcelona there is a history and class that dates back a long way.

So much of Barcelona’s success is because of players who have come through the club’s youth system, La Masia, and I think ideally that is what every football club wants to achieve.

"

However, Chelsea's transfer policy doesn't differ that much to City's, so Alves may well have to bite his tongue if he is to become a Chelsea player.

But he may prove to be the one missing ingredient from Mourinho's squad, despite Chelsea leading the race for this year's Premier League title.

Depth in a squad can, at times, mean the difference between glory and despair in the title challenge, as seen this year with Manchester United's lack of defensive presence.

Alves could add a much-needed addition of spicy wing play and creativity, with just the dash of experience that Mourinho will also be craving.

With the Chelsea boss looking to dice things up in his second spell as boss, and hunting for players that not only offer something different but also harbour experience, Barcelona could be just what Mourinho is looking for.

He'll also be re-united with the manager whom he claimed would be a big loss to La Liga after leaving Real Madrid for Stamford Bridge, per AS (h/t Goal.com's Shane Callaghan).

Lingering affection between the pair could soon turn to a match made in heaven in London.

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