Chelsea Transfer News: Marco Reus Plan Hatched, Gerard Pique Deal Written Off

Andre Schurrle could become Chelsea's pawn in a potential bid for Borussia Dortmund's Marco Reus, according to reports in Germany.

Bild (h/t 101 Great Goals) recently claimed that should Reus exit the Westfalenstadion, Schurrle will be targeted as his direct replacement. David Wright of the Express suggests that this could see a swap deal take place, with Chelsea pipping the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United to Reus' signature.

Wright also indicates that Jose Mourinho will green light a move in January to stop others from activating Reus' reported £20 million buyout clause in the summer.

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Schurrle has struggled for game time under Mourinho this season, starting just four matches in the Premier League, per WhoScored.com. He has scored twice—netting important goals against Burnley and Manchester City—but he has fallen behind the likes of Cesc Fabregas, Willian and Oscar in a team that continues to win without him.

Reus, on the other hand, has enjoyed a decent run of form in a unit that sits just above the Bundesliga relegation zone. He has scored four and assisted three in eight matches in the German top division and Champions League since returning from injury, recorded by WhoScored.com.

This includes goals against Bayern Munich and Galatasaray, as well as an excellent performance during the recent victory over Borussia Monchengladbach, noted by Squawka:

Chelsea's squad is remarkably well rounded, so Mourinho may be unwilling to swap players during the season.

The Chelsea boss is also regularly being linked with defensive reinforcements and is an outside shout to land Barcelona's Gerard Pique, according to Anthony Chapman of the Express.

Former Blues defender William Gallas believes Chelsea are the "only team" Pique would pick in London but admits, "I don't think Mourinho would [sign him]," reported by Gus Young of Squawka.

The Spanish defender was recently caught in an embarrassing situation for Barcelona, when Luis Enrique told him to warm up despite having no substitutes left during the win over Almeria, highlighted below:

This has added to speculation Pique will leave Camp Nou in search of regular first-team football, reported by Pete Jenson of the Mail Online. Mourinho is also linked to Real Madrid's Raphael Varane, a centre-back he once hailed as "the best young defender in the world."

Spanish publication Fichajes, translated by Tyrone Webb-McGarthland of Squawka, reports that a Chelsea bid is imminent. Varane recently inked a contract extension at Real, meaning any attempt to sign him destined to fail.

Chelsea are currently four points clear of Southampton atop the Premier League. Mourinho's side are unbeaten in 11 games and have complete control over the division, with Manchester City, Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool among those disappointing further down the table.

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It would be risky to to alter the formula too much at this point, but it's noticeable that Mourinho's rumoured targets are all proven at the top level. The Portuguese boss prioritises experience in his team and is likely to evolve his squad with world-class talent before bringing in further youth when January arrives.

This could see fringe players such as Schurrle leave, but using the departure of Juan Mata last winter as an example, that is a move that may benefit the Stamford Bridge side in the long run.