Chelsea Transfer News: Jose Gaya, Dani Ceballos, Marko Grujic Eyed, Top Rumours

Chelsea are ready to battle Manchester City to secure the signing of Jose Luis Gaya from Valencia, according to reports.

Fichajes.net (h/t Louis Sealey of Metro) claims the Premier League’s top two sides from last term are pondering a potential move ahead of the January transfer window; Real Madrid are also said to be interested. It’s noted that Gaya did sign a new contract with Los Che last season, but that’s unlikely to stave off the attention of the Blues.

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Gaya emerged as one of European football’s brightest young players last season. The left-back, still just 20 years old, burst into the Valencia team under Nuno Santo and helped the Mestalla club push on for a Champions League spot.

Aside from being industrious and defensively diligent, the Spaniard also showcased a level of composure in the final third, per WhoScored.com:

It’s no surprise that so many big names have been linked with the Valencia man. Chelsea did sign left-back Baba Rahman from Augsburg this summer, though, and Cezar Azpilicueta has been deployed regularly in that position for the vast majority of Jose Mourinho’s tenure to this point.

There has been some talk of Azpilicueta potentially moving over to right-back, meaning some space for Gaya could be freed up in the left-back position. But Chelsea writer Sid Celery doesn’t think that’d necessarily be a wise move on the part of the Blues:

The fact remains that Gaya needs minutes on the pitch to continue developing. A move to the Blues, City or Real—all of whom have excellent options in the left-back position—would see him battling for minutes in the first team. Stay with Valencia and he’ll remain a key player in a bright side, which will only enrich his development as a young player.

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Chelsea have also been linked with another young Spanish player in Real Betis’ creative midfielder Dani Ceballos. Rhys Turrell of the Daily Star writes “Tuttomercato cites reports in Spain” that claim the Blues have joined Arsenal and Liverpool in the race for the 19-year-old.

Here’s a look at why he’s been tipped for the top:

Ceballos is a player who has really shone for Betis since breaking into the team. Handed the club’s No. 10 jersey, it’s clear Pepe Mel wants the La Rojita starlet to become a key member of the Andalusians’ starting XI, and up to now, he’s featured in all three of the side’s La Liga matches, per WhoScored.com.

But Chelsea hasn’t typically been the best environment for young players to develop, and with the likes of Cesc Fabregas, Oscar, Eden Hazard, Pedro and Willian all in situ, it’s unlikely Ceballos would get many opportunities to play in attacking midfield roles when it comes to Mourinho’s side.

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Nevertheless, it seems as though the Blues are keen on investing in a bright future, given they’ve been linked with another bright youngster. This time it’s Red Star Belgrade’s Marko Grujic, who Tuttomercato (h/t Tom Olver of Metro) claim Chelsea are keeping close tabs on.

Grujic is not a household name by any means, and at 19 years old, he is nowhere near the finished article. But like Ceballos, there is raw ability there that, with the right kind of refinements, could make him a very capable player in the long-term.

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There must be concerns for young players like Ceballos and Grujic when weighing up a move to Stamford Bridge. While the Blues have a wonderful academy that produces tremendous youth squads, it’s a long time since a player who has been a product of that setup has been given a chance to nail down a spot in the first team.

Chelsea have 33 players out on loan at the moment, which is a major indication of the swollen section of players that are trying to get into the first-team squad. So if there is anything tangible to links to prospects like Ceballos and Grujic, they’ll have to be very special indeed to make the grade with the Blues.