Chelsea Transfer News: Latest on Seamus Coleman and Mauro Icardi

Chelsea are more resemblant to a force of nature than a football team at the moment. Despite boasting a sizable lead over the Premier League’s biggest names in the race for the title, reports suggest that the Blues are intent on strengthening their squad and their grip on the top spot with the January window approaching.

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A quick glance over the squad Jose Mourinho has assembled shows few weaknesses. But running the rule over this group with a critical eye, the two spots in which this team short is arguably in the full-back positions and up front. Encouragingly for those of a blue persuasion, Chelsea have been linked with two players that could potentially fill those spots.

The first is Everton’s Seamus Coleman, a player who has blossomed from a £60,000 signing from Sligo Rovers into one of the Premier League’s finest full-backs. According to Anthony Chapman of the Express, both Chelsea and Manchester United are especially keen on the Republic of Ireland international, but the Toffees could demand £25 million for their No. 23.

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Coleman is a vital part of Roberto Martinez’s team and was rewarded for a magnificent 2013/14 season with a bumper contract last summer. The 26-year-old’s current campaign has been partially blighted by injuries, but when he has played, he’s afforded Everton critical balance and a unique attacking edge.

Here, Squawka provides us with an indication of the kind of impact Coleman can have on a game from his full-back berth:

It’s easy to see why Mourinho could be a fan of the Irishman. Not only is Coleman an unshakeably energetic player, but he’s a tenacious defender. It’s an area of his game that has improved markedly under the tutelage of Martinez, and subsequently he’s quickly grown into an outstanding multifaceted full-back.

He has a remarkable eye for goal, as noted here by WhoScored.com:

The Toffees would no doubt be reluctant to sell, and although a move to Stamford Bridge would be tempting for the player, Coleman wouldn’t be afforded a role of comparable significance should he swap the blue of Everton for the blue of Chelsea. But if Mourinho’s men stump up a figure approaching the £25 million mark, as vital a player as the Irishman is for Everton, it’d be difficult to turn away.

At the other end of the field Mourinho has a goalscorer extraordinaire in Diego Costa. But with Didier Drogba in the twilight of his career and Loic Remy struggling to maintain full fitness, reports have claimed that the Blues boss is looking at bringing Mauro Icardi to Stamford Bridge.

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According to Anthony Chapman of the Express, new Internazionale boss Roberto Mancini is not keen on the 21-year-old forward and subsequently will listen to offers for a player who is believed to be rated at around £28 million; Chelsea and Liverpool have reportedly taken a keen interest.

Icardi isn’t a striker in the Costa mode and would add something different to this Chelsea attack if he was to join up with Mourinho’s men.

Indeed, quoted in Chapman’s piece, one of the player's former coaches, Jesus Hernandez, has high praise for the forward, comparing him to one of the greats of the game, per La Gazzetta dello Sport: "If Icardi played in Spain or England, where he is likely to go, he would be a star. He will become one. He has the talent to be the new Ronaldo. You'll see."

Here’s how Argentinean striker has fared this season compared to the former Atletico Madrid man:

	Apps (Sub)	Goals	Assists	Shots per Game	Key Passes per Game
Costa	10	11	0	3.2	1.8
Icardi	11 (1)	7	1	3.3	0.8

While those statistics may not quite measure up to the predatory instincts of Costa, it’s difficult to see how Mancini has decided he’s not going utilise Icardi given he’s been Inter’s best player in what’s been a wholly underwhelming campaign (Inter are ninth in the table).

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With that in mind, Inter cashing in on their prize asset wouldn't make a lot of sense. Icardi is a wonderfully skilful player with a keen eye for goal and, at just 21 years old, someone that Mancini can potentially build his team around during the early stages of his tenure and beyond. 

If he was to make a switch to the Premier League, Icardi would probably be better off at Liverpool at this juncture, despite their toiling domestic form. At Anfield he’d quickly become a key player, but at Stamford Bridge, given the form of Costa and the system Mourinho plays—which only accommodates one striker—he will find regular opportunities pretty hard to come by.