Chelsea Transfer News: Raphael Varane Wants Move, Latest Andrej Kramaric Rumours

Chelsea have been given a major boost in their pursuit of Real Madrid centre-back Raphael Varane with the Frenchman reportedly looking for a move away from the Bernabeu after failing to nail down a first-team place.

According to Jack Wilson in the Daily Star, the 21-year-old France international is dissatisfied having started only four La Liga games under Carlo Ancelotti this season, per WhoScored.com, and he is looking for a move to the Premier League.

He is valued at £20 million, per Wilson, and he is also of particular interest to the Blues' Premier League rivals Manchester United, who are currently short of real quality in the centre of defence, per Marca (h/t The Telegraph).

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Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho is clearly a big fan of Varane having signed him for Madrid from Lens for £8 million in 2011, and he has previously described the Frenchman as "the best young defender in the world," per The Sun (h/t Elliott Bretland in the Daily Mail).

Varane would certainly be a fine addition for the Blues given his terrific potential and quality, but he may still be condemned to the bench for some time yet at Chelsea given the strength of partnership between John Terry and Gary Cahill.

Though Terry is 34 years old, he is enjoying some of the best form of his career currently—making it into Sky Sports Monday Night Football's team of the season so far—and looks set to stay on at Stamford Bridge for at least one more term, per Goal.com's Sacha Pisani:

United would likely be able to guarantee Varane more starting opportunities, but Mourinho's relationship with the player could well give Chelsea the edge if he is indeed looking for a way out of the Bernabeu.

The Blues look to have missed out on the January signing of HNK Rijeka striker Andrej Kramaric after their plans to immediately loan him out to Leicester City proved to be against Premier League rules.

Chelsea were reported to have signed the Croatian ahead of the Foxes for £7.5 million, but it now seems Kramaric will make a switch to Nigel Pearson's club instead, per Darren Lewis in the Mirror.

According to Lewis, the Blues' plan to send him immediately out on loan to the King Power Stadium contravenes Premier League rule v7.1, which prevents "a temporary transfer to a club in the transfer window in which the transferor Club acquired the Player's registration."

Indeed, Sky Sports News HQ are now reporting that the 23-year-old Kramaric is undergoing a medical at Leicester, suggesting Chelsea have missed their man:

Micah Richards is also on Chelsea's radar, but for a move in the summer rather than the current January transfer window.

The Manchester City defender is currently on loan at Fiorentina and his contract with the Sky Blues expires in the summer, and Chelsea are considering offering the 26-year-old right-back a contract, per Ed Aarons in The Guardian. 

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The England international still has many years left in his career, but his star has fallen somewhat after breaking onto the Premier League scene at a young age.

Richards would be a useful back-up for Chelsea in defence given his versatility, but it would likely be a poor move for the player himself as starting opportunities would be limited.