Chelsea FC: Which January Transfer Rumour Do the Blues Most Need?

Welcome, again, to January transfer "silly season"—where all is possible, and little probable.

Chelsea are a particularly interesting side in transfer windows. Situated in London, with massive ambition and seemingly limitless resources from Roman Abramovich, throw a name at the 2014/15 Premier League favourites and something is sure to stick.

This January, there are five major names linked with the Blues who would certainly improve Jose Mourinho's squad, but there are certain drawbacks to each rumour. The likelihood of any of these proposed moves actually coming to fruition is minimal, but thought sometimes proves better than reality.

Wilfried Bony

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The Daily Star's Duncan Wright has suggested £30 million-rated Swansea City frontman Wilfried Bony is on Mourinho's centre-forward radar.

Bought for £12 million from Vitesse Arnhem in summer 2013, Michael Laudrup was expert in his evaluation of Bony. Scoring the most Premier League goals in the 2014 calendar year, the Swans No. 9 is perfectly adapted to the English game. Interestingly, Vitesse are known to have a working relationship with Chelsea—so how they failed to capture the Ivory Coast international remains mysterious.

Should reports of Didier Drogba's summer retirement be factual, as noted by the Daily Express' Anthony Chapman, there seems every possibility Mourinho will look to bolster his strike force. Both praised for their clinical nature and hold-up play, the Ivorians do share similar characteristics.

The question here is should Chelsea spend £30 million on what would amount to a future second-choice striker, behind Diego Costa, when Loic Remy was bought last August?

Should the Blues bring Swansea City's asking price down to around £20 million, then the transfer might be warranted; but, considering his fee and options already in house, Bony to Stamford Bridge was something that should have happened two years ago—not this winter. 

Raphael Varane

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Though he signed a six-year contract with Real Madrid last September, central defender Raphael Varane is still linked with moves away from the Santiago Bernabeu—most notably to Manchester United and Chelsea, as reported by the Daily Express' David Wright.

Carlo Ancelotti has preferred the starting centre-back pairing of Pepe and Sergio Ramos this season; Varane has started just four times in La Liga. This becomes something worth considering as Chelsea are much the same: John Terry and Gary Cahill have started every Premier League game this year.

Firm choices in the heart of Chelsea's defence today, one must not fail to account for form, or project forward. Both Terry and Cahill would be 37 and 32 respectively three seasons from now.

The 20-year-old French international is unquestionably class, and a Mourinho favourite. If the alleged £20 million asking price is available for an unsettled player, Mourinho should not hesitate to buy his former pupil—especially at the expense of Manchester United and Louis van Gaal.

Varane paired with Kurt Zouma, for both club and country, could create—in theory—the most formidable defensive partnership in European football; any chance at creating the tandem this January should be taken. 

Marco Reus

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Per Bild (h/t Charles Perrin of the Daily Express), Marco Reus' Borussia Dortmund contract contains a release clause, at the bargain price of £20 million, which triggers next summer. Should Mourinho rate the German attacking threat, there may be incentive for Chelsea to pounce sooner rather than later, as the usual suspects of Bayern Munich and Real Madrid are interested.

How Reus would improve Chelsea is hard to measure. In the deal posited by "reports" from Metro Sport, Andre Schurrle and £20 million would go to Dortmund, leaving Reus fighting with Willian for the right-sided attacking midfielder position.

What Willian lacks in offensive productivity from the right flank, he more than makes up for in graft. Reus would certainly alter Mourinho's defensive structure, and the Portuguese—already on the edge of all-out attack—may not want to put his defence under further strain.

Schurrle's poor form in recent weeks, however, should give Chelsea's boss something new to ponder.

If Borussia are willing to let their winger leave for a cut-rate price—and Schurrle can regain form in a new environment—Reus to Stamford Bridge must be investigated this transfer window, as the 25-year-old German is indisputably world-class.

Paul Pogba 

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One of summer 2014's most coveted commodities, Juventus star Paul Pogba went nowhere. In fact, the 21-year-old penned a new deal in October of last year, keeping him in Italy until 2019. Like his compatriot Varane, however, his contract extension has not slowed down the rumour mill.

Linked with Manchester United for a mammoth £77 million, by the Daily Express' Wright, Chelsea's name has invariably been added to the queue of names waiting in line.

Clearly enjoying Italian football, why the midfielder would leave Juventus proves difficult to decipher but, on the off chance Pogba would entertain a move back to England, Chelsea could do with a man of his particular skill set.

Mourinho has no comparable replacement for Nemanja Matic in midfield; Pogba would change the Portuguese's favoured 4-2-3-1 to a 4-3-3 or 4-3-2-1—as the French international must start—but he would allow Matic and others in the attacking third chances for rotation.

The reported price is far too high, and there are better options around the world who would not disrupt Chelsea's structure, but were Pogba available for any price under £50 million, Abramovich should certainly think about opening his bank vault.

Lionel Messi 

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Despite Barcelona being banned from buying players until 2016, January transfer season has linked arguably the world's best player, Lionel Messi, with a move from Catalonia to west London.

As highlighted by the Daily Mail's Rajvir Rai, there is a mounting circumstantial case Messi is entertaining the notion of leaving the Camp Nou and considering the possibility of joining Chelsea.

Following the Blues' Cesc Fabregas, Thibaut Courtois and Filipe Luis on Instagram, the Argentine forward sparked—what can only be labelled—a frenzy on 5 January.

The Daily Express' Chapman suggests Abramovich could "sanction a £200 million bid" for Messi, but such expenditure would have to wait until warmer days this summer; it seems the rumour mill has another eight months to speculate about where the Barca legend will be playing football next season.

But do Chelsea need him? In a word: no.

Turning 28 this June, what would Chelsea be buying other than a declining stock? For the money being suggested, Chelsea could bolster multiple areas in their squad, improve Stamford Bridge or give Eden Hazard and others new contracts.

Messi to Chelsea is computer-game fantasy, wrapped in perfectly timed coincidence—nothing more, nothing less.

Conclusions

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Of Chelsea's five "silly season" transfers rumours, the only one with staying power, and the one which makes the most football/Financial Fair Play sense, is Varane.

Lauded by his former manager Mourinho as the "best young defender in the world," largely on the bench at Real Madrid and linked with other Premier League sides, Chelsea—who do not need much improvement in other areas this window—should not pass on securing the future of their defence.

If Madrid are willing to part ways with the talented young Frenchman for £20 million, it seems a no brainer.

*Stats via WhoScored.com; transfer fees via Soccerbase.com where not noted.

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