Chelsea Transfer News: Star Names on Jose Mourinho's Shortlist Ahead of January
It’s safe to say that things are going pretty well for Jose Mourinho and Chelsea. While they’ve threatened Premier League glory in recent seasons, they’re well and truly taking it by storm this time around.
So much so that the Portuguese manager recently said that he won’t be adding to his squad in the January transfer window—per BBC Sport:
"We cannot be better than first in the league, top of our Champions League group and in the quarter-finals of the Capital One Cup.”
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While he’s right about that, we’ve heard it all before, and the rumours are still piling up ahead of next month’s frenzy.
Kevin Strootman
Dutch midfielder Kevin Strootman has been linked with a move to Manchester United ever since Louis van Gaal took the reins at Old Trafford, and while a Premier League switch could well be on the cards, his likely destination has been changed.
That’s due to Chelsea recently joining the hunt, per reports in Italy, via David Wright of the Daily Express, with a £30 million bid reportedly tabled by Mourinho ahead of the January transfer window.
Strootman cost Roma £15 million at the start of last season, and the Italian club will be tempted into making such a healthy profit, but would the Dutchman fit in at Stamford Bridge?
In short, yes, he most certainly would.
Although Nemanja Matic and Cesc Fabregas have made the central midfield positions their own, Chelsea’s busy fixture list means that rotation will be key behind their success.
John Obi Mikel aside, the Blues don’t have any capable, like-for-like replacements in the team’s engine room—capable of being a very generous description of the Nigerian.
That’s where Strootman could come in and prove his worth. Depending on how long Chelsea remain in domestic and European competitions, having back-up players will prove more and more important.
It’s tempting the Dutchman into the move that will prove tricky, though, as playing second fiddle isn’t exactly something he’s used to.
Plus, Roma are in no mood to let their star man go, as general manager Mauro Baldissoni said, via Bryan Swanson of Sky Sports:
It’s therefore up to Mourinho to convince Strootman that the benefits are there to be reaped by playing under his guidance. He wouldn’t be wrong with that, either.
Likelihood Factor: 3/10
Should Strootman leave Roma, the Dutch connection at Manchester United as well as the amount of zeroes that the Red Devils will throw at him means that Chelsea will likely be overlooked. Still, it’s incredibly unlikely that he’ll be going anywhere, anyway.
Karim Bellarabi
While Chelsea seem to be the full package, one thing that’s lacking from their squad’s attribute list is blistering pace.
The likes of Willian, Oscar and Eden Hazard aren’t exactly sluggish, but Bellarabi is, quite simply, lightning.
So, it’s no surprise to learn that Mourinho sent scouts to watch Bellarabi in action for Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League at Benfica in midweek—as Dean Jones of the Sunday People revealed, via Neil Moxley of the Daily Mirror.
Moxley writes that Mourinho is looking to bolster his attacking choices out wide, and the Leverkusen man appears the ideal man for the job.
As WhoScored.com’s statistics reveal, Bellarabi has scored seven goals and created two in 14 Bundesliga appearances so far this term, contributing hugely to the club’s domestic success.
However, is the 24-year-old cut out for life in the blue shirt?
Journalist Tom Williams makes an interesting point, as he essentially says that Chelsea already have the, say, rich man’s version of Bellarabi in Hazard:
His style is very similar to Mohamed Salah’s, who hasn’t exactly proved his worth at Stamford Bridge just yet. Besides, Bellarabi is unlikely to settle for a life of reserve appearances.
There’s no doubting the Leverkusen winger’s class, but unless Mourinho dramatically changes his system, there’ll be no place at Stamford Bridge for him.
Likelihood Factor: 2/10
Systems aside, Chelsea will have to sell someone to make room for Bellarabi in their ranks, which is unlikely to happen during the January window. Summer is a more realistic time for Mourinho to get his man.
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