Chelsea Transfer News: Why Seamus Coleman Won't Join Blues in Summer

Chelsea and Manchester United are reportedly ready to battle it out for Everton's Seamus Coleman, but the Ireland international won't be moving to Stamford Bridge during the summer transfer window.

According to the Daily Express' David Wright, both clubs are preparing £20 million offers for the full-back, who might be tempted to move to a bigger club if the Toffees' run of disappointing results continues:

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The right-back has emerged as one of the Premier League's top defenders in recent seasons and could be tempted to leave in the next transfer window if the Toffees' form fails to improve.

According to various reports, Jose Mourinho and Louis van Gaal are both lining up a £20m move for his services.

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The news can hardly be considered breaking; ITV reported the exact same thing in September:

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Chelsea to make £20m move for Everton's Seamus Coleman - today's rumours http://t.co/d0natW5Ivx pic.twitter.com/XV9DdzSi92

— ITV Football (@itvfootball) September 28, 2014"

There's no denying the 26-year-old has emerged as one of the Premier League's top full-backs in recent years, and despite suffering through an injury-marred start to the season, his rating of 7.35 is still one of the best among right-backs in England, per WhoScored.com.

It's no wonder some of the top teams in the league are linked with a move for the Everton man, but Chelsea hardly rank as a prime contender for his signature. The Blues don't have a need for a right-back—one could argue it's one of their strengths.

Cesar Azpilicueta has been pushed to the left wing and highly touted signing Filipe Luis has spent much of his time on the bench due to the excellent form of Branislav Ivanovic—WhoScored's highest-rated defender at the moment.

The Serb has been nearly flawless so far this season, a rock in defence who also contributes significantly to the attack. Depth isn't an issue, either, with Brazil international Luis still sitting on the sideline.

It's perfectly possible Jose Mourinho would identify Coleman as an excellent addition to his squad, but the Blues' new transfer strategy has focused on younger players with high potential, reserving the big-money signings for areas of need. Full-back isn't one of those.

It is an area of need for Manchester United, as Louis van Gaal appears unwilling to hand the starting position to Luke Shaw. Coleman's attacking potential makes him a perfect fit for the 3-4-3 the Dutchman appears to favour, something Bleacher Report's Paul Ansorge also believes:

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Coleman has proven adaptable, thriving in Moyes’ rigid system and continuing to develop under Martinez’s more expansive approach. That adaptability would be an excellent asset to Louis van Gaal, who has been happy to experiment with different formations during his United tenure so far.

Whatever formation he has used, he has expected his full-backs to be part of his attacking unit. Coleman would be comfortable with this, as his goals and assists over the past few seasons have demonstrated.

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Unlike Mourinho, Van Gaal has shown a clear willingness to splash the cash on any player he desires, whether he fits a clear need or not. The striker position was arguably the one area in which the Red Devils were solid coming into the season; the club still went after Radamel Falcao.

A £20 million offer hardly seems enough to pry Coleman away from the Toffees, and the Mancunians won't hesitate to give into any of the club's demands as they try to lock up the defender.

In a straight-up bidding war, Mourinho simply won't compete with Van Gaal—not for a player he has no clear need for and who doesn't present a clear upgrade over any of the current starters.

Coleman is a fine player, and there's little doubt the Blues would welcome him with open arms. But with a very significant price tag and no guarantee he'll be an impact starter, Mourinho and Co. will look elsewhere come summer.

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