Chelsea Transfer News: Latest on Felipe Anderson and Christian Benteke Rumours

Chelsea will reportedly face competition from Premier League rivals Manchester United for the services of Lazio forward Felipe Anderson, according to the latest transfer rumours.

The Daily Star's Paul Hetherington claims the Red Devils are contemplating a £30 million bid for the Brazil international, who recently signed a new deal with the Italian club and stated he has no plans to leave, via Gianluca Di Marzio's David Amoyal:

Anderson was one of Serie A's top breakout players in 2014-15, and while his fantastic performance was overshadowed by that of Palermo's Paulo Dybala, the 22-year-old was arguably more important to his team's success.

Per WhoScored.com, he scored 10 goals and provided seven assists in Serie A, and his great form after the turn of the year contributed to Lazio's rise through the standings, which ultimately saw the club overtake Napoli for the final UEFA Champions League spot.

Massimo Pinca/Associated Press

Anderson is a fast, technical winger who can also play as an attacking midfielder, and he's at his very best playing in the open field and running the counter-attack. He has a keen eye for goal but is unselfish in the attacking third, often coming up with key assists.

The Brazilian is a budding star, and reports Manchester United could use Robin van Persie in a swap deal appear way off base, per Football Italia:

The problem with any deal for Anderson is the likely fee, which approaches the release clause of Antoine Griezmann, who Mundo Deportivo (h/t Metro Sport) believes is a target for the Blues:

Anderson is immensely talented, but his entire transfer fee will be based on one great year of production in the Italian Serie A and the potential he flashed playing in Brazil. Griezmann has several seasons worth of experience in La Liga, where he has produced both for Real Sociedad and Atletico Madrid.

The France international would be the safer buy, and if Lazio's asking price for Anderson is indeed £30 million, you have to assume Chelsea would rather spend a little extra and trigger Griezmann's release clause.

That said, Anderson would not a bad back-up plan, and he could be the type of investment that pays huge dividends down the road. The Blues have plenty of talented wingers and attacking midfielders in their squad, but manager Jose Mourinho would love to have a versatile player like Anderson, who would be a great investment for the future.

For now, don't expect the Brazilian to arrive during the summer, but if the saga with Griezmann carries on and Anderson performs at the Copa America, it wouldn't be a shock to see several bids come in for the emerging star.

Eden Hazard Hoping for Christian Benteke Signing

Rui Vieira/Associated Press

Belgium international Eden Hazard would love to see compatriot and current Aston Villa striker Christian Benteke plying his trade at Stamford Bridge next season, as he told Belgian media (h/t Sky Sports) while away on international duty.

He said: "If Christian signs with us, I would be the happiest man in the world. I have a great relationship with him and would like nothing better than to play with him. ... He is at an age where he has to make a good career choice.

"Not that Aston Villa is a small club, but he has already played many great games and can now play in the Champions League."

The 24-year-old has been linked with a move away from Villa after impressing during the final months of the 2014-15 Premier League season, scoring freely under new club boss Tim Sherwood.

Liverpool are frequently mentioned as a logical destination, although The Liverpool Echo's James Pearce doesn't believe the striker would be a great fit for the Reds, as reported by This is Anfield's Henry Jackson:

ESPN FC's Mark Worrall believes he would be a smash hit at Stamford Bridge, however:

In a perfect world, Benteke would be the back-up to Diego Costa, who had an excellent first season in England but has a history of missing frequent matches, be it through injury or suspension.

It's hard to imagine Benteke accepting a role as a back-up at this point in his career, however. The Belgian has established himself as a prolific, talented Premier League striker, and there will be plenty of clubs willing to offer him a starting position.

He may want to play Champions League football, which is something Chelsea could offer, but Villa will likely hold out for a significant fee. Unless Mourinho truly believes he could challenge Costa for the starting position―which is unlikely―it makes little sense to throw a ton of money at a back-up striker, with Loic Remy still in the squad and Patrick Bamford emerging as a viable third option.

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