10 Potential Summer Transfer Targets for Chelsea
Chelsea enjoyed another productive transfer window in January.
Out went Mohamed Salah on loan to Fiorentina, while Andre Schurrle made a permanent switch to Bundesliga outfit Wolfsburg.
In their place came Juan Cuadrado, the Colombia international who arrived for a reported £26.8 million fee, according to the BBC.
The winter window barely closed a week ago, but we can be sure that Jose Mourinho and his staff will be plotting their next big move in the transfer market ahead of the summer.
With that in mind, Bleacher Report looks at some potential signings the Chelsea boss should target.
Some have been linked with the club in the past, while others are players who have caught the eye this season and could slot into the system Chelsea are playing right now.
Have we missed a young star in the making whom Chelsea should target? Is there another big name you'd like to see at the club?
As ever, let us know in the comments section below.
1. Paul Pogba
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Juventus' French midfielder is set to be the transfer story of the summer.
His agent recently said so himself, per Sky Sports: "Paul is the only major star who is available at the end of the season. If you cannot take Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi or Zlatan Ibrahimovic, you can only go for Paul."
The 21-year-old is sure to get interest from teams across the continent. Regardless of their transfer policy, Chelsea will be interested in bringing him to west London.
Pogba would fit into this Chelsea team too.
He can play alongside Nemanja Matic in the pivot, which would allow Cesc Fabregas to move forward. Alternatively, whenever Matic is unavailable, Pogba can form a partnership with Fabregas or move farther forward himself.
The biggest stumbling block would be that transfer fee, but for footballing reasons alone, Pogba would make sense for Chelsea.
2. Danny Ings
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Burnley's Danny Ings joining Chelsea seemed one of the more left-field rumours of the January transfer window, per ESPN.
But it's one that actually makes sense.
He's a young, up-and-coming player who at the end of the season will be available on a free transfer as his contract with the Clarets will expire.
As he's younger than 24, Premier League rules stipulate Chelsea would still have to pay Burnley compensation for Ings, which would be decided by tribunal.
Even still, that figure is expected to be around £3 million.
Given Chelsea's business model of buying low and selling high, Ings' age would mean he comes with a sell-on value potentially greater than the compensation the club would pay for him.
It would be a good business move, but there's also a chance they could unearth a gem in the process.
Ings has shown good potential for Burnley this season, scoring goals in a struggling team.
Signing him would be a win-win situation for Chelsea.
3. Ross Barkley
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The bright young thing of English football, Ross Barkley has all the qualities Jose Mourinho admires in a player.
He's aggressive and skilful with an excellent work rate.
He still needs to work on the defensive side of his game, but Barkley is no doubt a star for the future.
The Everton man operates a similar area of the pitch to Paul Pogba and without the profile of the Frenchman would come as a far cheaper option.
Not only that, the 20-year-old will add to the ranks of Englishmen at Chelsea—a number that has been diluted in recent seasons.
4. Raphael Varane
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Reading between the lines, it seems Jose Mourinho has already started the process of targeting Raphael Varane.
Only last week he spoke of his admiration for the Real Madrid defender, describing him and Kurt Zouma as the two best young central defenders in world football.
Mourinho signed Varane for Real, and given his admiration for him, he will certainly be interested in bringing him to Stamford Bridge if the chance arises.
John Terry remains an excellent first-choice at the back, but with time running out on his career, Mourinho needs to find a replacement soon.
Varane could be that man, joining Zouma to establish Chelsea's defensive partnership for the next decade.
Building their defence around him, Chelsea can offer Varane more than Real in that regard.
5. Seamus Coleman
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Jose Mourinho likes to use his full-backs as a means of providing Chelsea with more width.
The way that Chelsea's three attacking midfielders play, there isn't an out-and-out winger, which means they can play too centrally at times.
Branislav Ivanovic has been an excellent right-back for Chelsea, but his natural position is in the centre of defence. Adding someone like Seamus Coleman would allow Ivanovic to move centrally if needed—or even as replacement for John Terry when the Chelsea defender eventually retires—but would also add more options at the back.
Coleman is quick, enjoys getting forward and has an end product too. He can cross and scores goals, and when he is on form, he is a handful for his opposite number.
6. Sami Khedira
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Bleacher Report's Guillem Balague recently reported that Sami Khedira is expected to join Bayern Munich on a free transfer from Real Madrid in the summer.
The German's contract is up in July, which means he is now free to discuss terms with any interested clubs.
Until pen is put to paper, though, anything can happen in football.
It's not often a player of Khedira's ilk becomes available for nothing, so given their shortage in defensive midfield, Chelsea should be among the clubs that are interested in him.
Khedira would be excellent to play alongside Nemanja Matic and would also be a good alternative, allowing the pair to rotate in midfield throughout the season.
7. Marco Reus
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Another player who is likely to cause a transfer storm this summer is Borussia Dortmund's Marco Reus.
The German is being sought after as he'll become available for just £25 million when a release clause is triggered, putting plenty of clubs on red alert.
Reus can play anywhere behind a striker, either through the middle or in a wider role.
He creates goals, scores them and is a real handful.
He would bring an extra dynamism to this Chelsea side and make them even more formidable than the counter-attacking side we have seen for much of 2014/15.
And at £25 million, he fits the bill with Chelsea's revised transfer policy. He's a big name that isn't going to cost big bucks.
8. Morgan Schneiderlin
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Chelsea have always done well by signing players who fit the bill from a football perspective, not a marketing standpoint.
In the past, their big-money signings like Andrei Shevchenko and Fernando Torres have disappointed the most.
In contrast, players such as Didier Drogba and Gary Cahill have been the real success stories—players with a profile but not superstar status. They've become stars at Chelsea.
Morgan Schneiderlin is capable of emulating that success.
The Southampton midfielder is well-regarded in football circles, but he doesn't carry a significant profile off the pitch.
That wouldn't be a problem for Jose Mourinho, as the Frenchman would add extra depth to Chelsea's midfield, aiding Nemanja Matic.
That defensive position is an area Chelsea must target this summer; outside of Matic, they lack real quality.
Schneiderlin would bring that and wouldn't cost the Earth, either.
9. Alexandre Lacazette
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We're expecting Didier Drogba to retire this summer, so unless Jose Mourinho promotes a striker from within Chelsea's ranks—think Patrick Bamford—he will need to dip into the transfer market to strengthen the ranks.
Alexandre Lacazette is grabbing plenty of headlines right now.
The Lyon front man is the leading goalscorer in Ligue 1 with 21 goals this season, outscoring more high-profile players such as Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
He'll be 24 in May, so he is entering a key part of his career.
Lacazette is young and confident, and a move to Chelsea will be the next stage in what is becoming a promising career.
Indeed, it was at a similar stage when Drogba joined Chelsea from Ligue 1 Marseille, and we all know how that move turned out.
10. Charlie Austin
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For the same reasons mentioned in the previous slide, Chelsea may well be forced to sign another striker this summer.
And if we're going on current form, Jose Mourinho could do far worse than QPR's Charlie Austin.
The Englishman has enjoyed a meteoric rise up the leagues—just six years ago he was playing non-league before joining Swindon Town in 2009.
In his debut Premier League campaign, he hit 13 goals for a struggling QPR, too.
He wouldn't be a starter at Chelsea, but with Diego Costa leading the line, few players would come in and enjoy such status.
What Austin would give is something different; he would be the perfect No. 2 to Costa, alongside Loic Remy.
He's energetic, enjoys pressing defenders and, as he's shown this season, has a goal in him.
Admittedly, there would be question marks over his ability to perform for one of Europe's biggest clubs, yet Austin wouldn't cost Chelsea the same as if they signed a more high-profile player from elsewhere.
He would be a calculated risk and one that could certainly pay off.
Garry Hayes is Bleacher Report's lead Chelsea correspondent. All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow him on Twitter @garryhayes
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