Chelsea Transfer News: Latest on Juan Cuadrado and Raphael Varane Rumours

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho claims he was unaware of Juan Cuadrado’s presence at Anfield during his side’s 1-1 draw with Liverpool in the Capital One Cup.

The Fiorentina flyer has been linked with a move to the Blues in the January transfer window, and speculation was fuelled after rumours emerged claiming he was in attendance at the game, per 101 Great Goals. But the Blues boss quickly dismissed the notion Cuadrado was there as a guest of Chelsea.

“He was here?” said Mourinho, per Peter O’Rourke of Goal.com. “No idea.”

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According to Simon Johnson of the London Evening Standard, the Blues have made an enquiry to La Viola about their star man, but at this juncture, the clubs are about £6 million apart in their valuation. According to Johnson, the Blues are only willing to part with £20.6 million, whereas Fiorentina value him at a figure closer to £27 million.

Here’s a look at why Cuadrado is revered amongst the best wide players in European football:

It seems as though the player wasn’t at the match—especially when you consider Fiorentina have a game against Atalanta on Wednesday—but the Colombian is a player who would certainly add a refreshing edge to Chelsea’s attacking play.

Bleacher Report’s Andy Brassell takes a look at whether Cuadrado would be a good fit at Stamford Bridge:

Weaknesses are minimal in this current Chelsea crop, but one area it could use some bolstering is in wide positions. Cuadrado would bring a direct, sharp threat down the right flank to compliment the intricate majesty of Eden Hazard on the left; his versatility and unrelenting energy would also make him a wonderful purchase.

As we can see here courtesy of WhoScored.com, Cuadrado is a thrilling player to watch:

But as noted here by football writer Mina Rzouki, he's a player that could cost the Blues a lot of money:

Another area of this squad that’s potentially a little short of options is in the defensive areas. Chelsea have undeniable quality in these spots, but if they were to be levied with a couple of injuries, Mourinho could find himself short of personnel. Signing Real Madrid’s Raphael Varane would certainly alleviate some of those concerns.

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According to Anthony Chapman of the Daily Express, the Blues are hopeful of landing Varane ahead of Manchester United, and his purchase will see Kurt Zouma move to Internazionale on loan. Here’s a look at why Varane is revered as one of the best young centre-backs in world football:

With that in mind, it’s difficult to see why Real would be willing to let him go. The Frenchman himself also recently confirmed he is fully committed to the Los Blancos cause, per Chapman's piece:

"

I'm 100 per cent with the team and feeling happy. I have a contract until 2020.

I'm calm and when I've played, I've tried to do well. Sergio Ramos and Pepe play more than me, but I try to do the best I can.

"

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Subsequently, this looks very much like a non-starter. Zouma has shown in his brief appearances with Chelsea that he’s more than capable of filling in at the back. Although Mourinho may want him to get more minutes, Zouma has a role to play in this squad at the moment, especially given the European champions are unlikely to sanction a sale for Varane.

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Real Madrid fans certainly don’t want the player sold either, per The Madridistas:

One player the Blues may have a better chance of landing is Internazionale forward Mauro Icardi. As reported by the Daily Express (h/t The Telegraph), the player’s contract negotiations have broken down with the Nerazzurri. After landing Xherdan Shaqiri and Lukas Podolski in January, the Italian giants are seemingly ready to let him go.

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Here’s a look at why the 21-year-old is rated as one of the most exciting prospects in Serie A:

Icardi has all the attributes to be a wonderfully rounded centre-forward. His finishing is excellent, and his link-up play is refined for a player who’s still in the relative infancy of his career. On the face of things, he could be an ideal replacement for Didier Drogba in the long term at Chelsea.

A January deal looks unlikely, though. With Drogba, Loic Remy and Diego Costa currently vying for the sole striking berth that Mourinho typically deploys, competition is already fierce in this facet of the squad. But with Drogba very much in the twilight of his career, Icardi is a player Chelsea should look to revisit in the summer window.