Juan Cuadrado Chelsea Move in Doubt, Latest Mattia Destro Transfer Rumours

Chelsea may pay the price for dallying in the January transfer window, with reports suggesting that they have been joined by Manchester United in the pursuit of Fiorentina winger Juan Cuadrado.

According to reports in Italy (h/t Jamie Sanderson of Metro) the Red Devils are willing to spend £21.6 million to land the Colombian international, who has been the source of longstanding interest from the Blues. Sanderson suggests that a move for Cuadrado would allow Louis van Gaal to send Adnan Januzaj out on loan.

Here’s a look at what the winger would bring to the Premier League:

English football is a tough landscape for debutants to flourish upon, but former Manchester City man and Cuadrado’s current La Viola team-mate Micah Richards has backed him to shine should he make the move to the Premier League, per Sky Sports News HQ (h/t beIN Sports):

"

I have been training with him every day and he's got everything; technique, speed, power, pace. All his attributes would be suited to the Premier League so I can see exactly why he is being linked with a move there.

He's loved here at Fiorentina and if he was to leave the fans would be gutted but I suppose as a player he's got to decide what’s best for him.

"

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Fiorentina have been previously adamant that their star man will not be sold for a penny less than his £26.2 million release clause, per Sky Sports News HQ:

Despite talks ongoing for over a week between Chelsea and the Italians, per Sanderson’s piece, a deal has yet to be reached. It seems as though the Blues are waiting to see which players leave the club before making a concrete offer, with both Andre Schurrle and Mohamed Salah tipped for moves away, per Matt Law of The Telegraph.

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David Amoyal of GianlucaDiMarzio.com claims a deal depends on the sale of the former:

But that hesitancy could cost them, with United apparently keen to bring the Colombian to Old Trafford. It’s easy to see why too; he’s not only a dazzlingly skilful footballer, but Cuadrado is also very versatile and someone who would have no issue fulfilling various roles under the tutelage of Van Gaal.

Bleacher Report’s Janusz Michallik takes a look at what kind of influence the player will have at Stamford Bridge should he join in January:

If the Red Devils do make a late swoop for the player, then it could prompt Jose Mourinho into moving for another option. And according to reports, the Blues have been handed a late boost in their pursuit of AS Roma striker Mattia Destro.

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As noted by Chisanga Malata of the Daily Star, various reports had claimed that the Italian had agreed terms with AC Milan regarding a transfer. But the Rossoneri vice-president Adriano Galliani has claimed no deal for the player has been done yet, per Malata’s piece: "We still cannot say that he is a Milan player, have some patience.

"Is my visit unusual? No, why unusual? When can we say that it will be completed? We’ll see."

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The Blues may well be in the market for a striker in the summer, especially with Didier Drogba fast approaching the twilight of his career. But it seems that, although the deal isn't finalised, Destro is pretty close to a move to Milan in January, a club at which he would become a central figure.

Bleacher Report's Sam Tighe also ran the rule over Destro recently:

Chelsea simply don’t need to pursue the Giallorossi man with any great endeavour at this juncture. The three forwards Mourinho has at his disposal currently are more than sufficient for a team that deploys a one-striker system, and although Mourinho will surely be lining up potential long-term options, Destro isn’t a solution.

The player’s problem at Roma is that he isn’t getting a sustained run of games to appropriately reach his potential. Milan—who are enduring a torrid Serie A campaign—can give him the requisite reassurances about his playing time, and if a deal is eventually completed, the Rossoneri will surely reap the long-term benefits of his development.