Chelsea Transfer News: Rumours on Paul Pogba, Mohamed Salah, More

Rumours Manchester United are unwilling to spend big on Juventus star Paul Pogba have reportedly put Chelsea in the driving seat to bring the talented midfielder to Stamford Bridge during the summer transfer window, according to the Daily Express' David Wright.

The Red Devils are reportedly shifting their attention to AS Roma's Kevin Strootman, freeing up Jose Mourinho and his squad to make a run at Pogba:

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The news comes as a boost to Premier League rivals Chelsea, who are now in pole position to land the 21-year-old Pogba.

Former Stamford Bridge striker and French compatriot Nicolas Anelka has previously urged Pogba to make a move to the Blues.

He said: "My preference is for him to join Chelsea, who have very strong players and the financial power of [Roman] Abramovich."

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Whether the Blues are actually in pole position for his services is highly debatable, however. The Premier League isn't the only top league in Europe where big-money teams like to get their hands on the best talents around the globe.

Real Madrid will certainly be players if the Bianconeri star expresses a clear desire to leave Turin, and Los Blancos have a tendency to get what they want.

And that's not even mentioning Paris Saint-Germain, who have the cash necessary to facilitate a move, as reported by Bleacher Report UK's Jonathan Johnson. Pogba was born in a Paris suburb and might like the idea of moving back home:

There's no denying the Blues would love to bring the 21-year-old into the fold, but Mourinho already has one of the best central duos in Europe at his disposal: Cesc Fabregas and Nemanja Matic. Spending upwards of £80 million on a player that doesn't fill a specific need seems folly in the era of financial fair play.

And while Chelsea may have the budget of a top club, the Blues' transfer policy in recent years has been very sensible. Spending such a vast sum doesn't seem to fit the club's current philosophy on the open market.

Someone who might fit said philosophy is Micah Richards, who has recently been linked with a free transfer to Stamford Bridge. The Manchester City man is currently on loan with Fiorentina but told Sky Sports the Premier League suits his particular brand of football better:

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I don't think [I'll go back to City]. I think it's in the past now. Obviously I'd love to play for them again, but they have so many players, the budget is so high.

I wasn't happy sitting on the bench. I've nothing bad to say about Manuel Pellegrini to be honest. He's a good coach, a really good coach, and brought good harmony to the dressing room.

[...]The Premier League is an amazing league but I thought I'd come out here and give it a try. But I know the Premier League really suits my game.

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The 26-year-old may be linked with a move to west London, but if playing time is his main concern, he'll probably be better off staying in Italy.

Gary Cahill and John Terry form one of the Premier League's better central duos, and the emergence of Kurt Zouma means the Blues are not lacking when it comes to quality centre-backs. Johnson notes the Frenchman is already a popular figure among the fans:

Bringing Richards in as a backup on a free transfer would be a solid piece of business for the Blues, but if the English defender is adamant he wants to be a regular starter, Chelsea is not the club for him.

New team-mate Mohamed Salah has been lights-out since completing a loan move to La Viola, and former Premier League striker Francesco Baiano praised the Italian club for their transfer business in an interview with Tuttomercatoweb (h/t Here is the City's Billy Hawkins):

"He is dynamic, technical, a complete player. Fiorentina have done great business selling Cuadrado. They found a lot of money to invest and a great player in return for free."

Serena Campanini/Associated Press

Salah's excellent form will no doubt result in a lot of speculation regarding his future. Hawkins suggests he might be able to translate his great performances into another chance at Stamford Bridge, but Fiorentina may be willing to turn his current loan deal into a permanent move.

The Egypt international has already received a ton of opportunities to fight his way into Chelsea's starting XI and has so far failed to do so—Mourinho may look at the sales of Kevin De Bruyne and Andre Schurrle to Wolfsburg and see another opportunity to cash in on a player he has no real need for.

The 22-year-old is a very good player, but for a club like Chelsea, that might not be enough. If La Viola are willing to splash some of the cash they made in the sale of Juan Cuadrado, a permanent transfer could be the perfect compromise.

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