Chelsea Transfer News: Mega Paul Pogba Bid Readied in Latest Blues Rumours

Chelsea are reportedly set to pursue a £70 million deal for Juventus’ Paul Pogba before the transfer deadline closes.  

That’s according to Simon Johnson of the London Evening Standard, who writes that while a transfer for the French international remains unlikely, the Blues will do their utmost to lure him to Stamford Bridge due to concerns over the central midfield partnership of Cesc Fabregas and Nemanja Matic.

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Indeed, Chelsea legend Paul Canoville has suggested Fabregas, who has struggled in the early weeks of the season, is quickly becoming a weak link for the champions, per Kikka.com (h/t Jack Watts of the Daily Star):

"

I'm concerned about Cesc Fabregas, he only seems to last about an hour in the game and then he's non-existent.

You can't get away with that in this league. Everyone knows what he can do and what he possesses, but you need to be doing it for at least 80 minutes. I think he might have turned into a weak link.

Fabregas isn't the same player as when he was at Arsenal or Barcelona, and it's a weakness that Jose has got to see and look at fixing.

"

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Pogba would certainly help stiffen up the centre of the pitch. The Juventus man has grown into one of European football’s most multifaceted players, possessing the mixture of technical flair and defensive tenacity which Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho typically seeks out when it comes to new acquisitions.

A fee of £70 million may seem excessive, but the 22-year-old does have the talent to become one of the very best players in the world. Under the tutelage of Mourinho, he would add a steely side to his flamboyant midfield play, too, making him an even more comprehensive player.

Here’s how he compared in league matches last season to Chelsea’s current maligned pairing:

	Pogba	Fabregas	Matic
Apps (Sub)	24 (2)	33 (1)	35 (1)
Goals	8	3	1
Assists	3	18	3
Shots per game	2.2	1.3	0.8
Key passes per game	1.4	2.8	0.7
Tackles per game	2.2	2.6	3.6

But it’s tough to see Juventus letting him go at this late stage of the window. After all, the Bianconeri have already let both Arturo Vidal and Andrea Pirlo leave this summer, while Sami Khedira is currently suffering with an injury problem. Juve also lost their opening game of the season against Udinese, pointing toward what could potentially be a tough beginning for them.

As we can see here, courtesy of TheODDSbible, it wasn’t the best of afternoons for Pogba either:

Even so, there will be an onus on the Frenchman to spearhead this team toward a new era. It may take him a while to become accustomed to the responsibility that accompanies being the Bianconeri’s talisman and donning the iconic No. 10 jersey, but it’s a role which will ultimately aid in Pogba’s overall development as a player.

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The former Manchester United man certainly has the qualities to drive the Italian champions forward, as we can see here, courtesy of OptaPaolo:

For Chelsea, Pogba would be an ideal acquisition. He has all of the requisite attributes needed to thrive in the Premier League, would slot straight into the side and would potentially be the midfield mainstay of the team for a decade. It’s what makes £70 million a fair price, but it's a sum which is still unlikely to break Juventus’ resolve.

The best place for Pogba to develop is in Turin, anyway. His ability is beyond doubt, but after a summer of upheaval, his mentality and leadership skills will be tested emphatically throughout 2015-16. It means if Chelsea were to reignite their interest next summer, they’d be getting a more rounded player, but they may have to bolster their current valuation to prise Pogba away.