Chelsea Transfer News: Huge Names Wanted by Jose Mourinho, Latest Rumours

The transfer window can be many things: confusing, misleading, frustrating and—most of all—slanderous. But for Chelsea, this summer’s window has been nothing but a scapegoat for the club’s shaky start to the campaign.

The Blues cruised to the 2014/15 Premier League title with a squad once deemed good enough to replicate Arsenal’s "invincibles" feat, yet only adding a select few first-team players made fans a little hot under the collar.

Poor displays on the pitch have hardly given supporters cause for optimism, either, which means that January could see Jose Mourinho take evasive action. Here’s a round-up of the latest players rumoured to be on the manager’s wish list.

Jose Gaya

Daniel Ochoa de Olza/Associated Press

Towards the back end of the summer, it was panic stations for Chelsea regarding their defensive options. The fact that Mourinho only had a handful of options at his disposal was rather troubling, and that situation hasn’t exactly got better.

Inexperienced full-back Baba Rahman arrived from Augsburg for a hefty fee, while Michael Hector was immediately loaned out to Reading after signing. The back line has looked incredibly suspect ever since.

Now it seems the Blues are looking to bolster their defensive options with the addition of Spanish left-back Jose Gaya—according to Fichajes.net, via Louis Sealey of Metro.

Gaya rose through the youth ranks at Valencia and established himself as the first-choice full-back last term—finally filling the huge boots of Jordi Alba.

His stellar performances earned him a new contract with the Spanish outfit earlier this year, yet it’s exactly that which Chelsea are looking to exploit.

The 20-year-old’s new deal reportedly has had a buyout clause of €50 million inserted in it, and Fichajes.net report that the Blues are seriously considering forking out to land the star.

Jon Super/Associated Press

Gaya is very much a Baba Rahman-type of player, strong and pacy with a keen eye for getting forward, but can he really add to Chelsea’s setup?

A Cesar Azpilicueta-type of player is exactly what the Blues need: exciting going forward and strong at the back.

Still, Gaya’s ability shows he could well be tuned into exactly that and may even be worth the £36 million risk.

Branislav Ivanovic Replacement

Rui Vieira/Associated Press

Chelsea’s defensive problems haven’t been concentrated in one area, but right-back Branislav Ivanovic’s performances have left a lot to be desired.

The Serbian was solid as a rock last term and even chipped in with a few goals, and that’s a far cry from the man clumsily working up and down the right side in 2015/16.

With that in mind, it appears that Mourinho is on the hunt for a new right-back to steady the ship, and Nick Miller of the Guardian writes that the Chelsea boss has sent scouts out to recruit a new face.

That new face could well be a lot closer to home than you think, as it all opens up for the John Stones saga to reignite.

Stones was sensational for Everton against the Blues earlier this month, showing Mourinho exactly what he’s missing from his shambolic defensive lineup.

Paul Wilson of the Guardian agrees, as he said Chelsea were a shadow of their former selves at Goodison Park:

"

The worry for Mourinho is that they are not the same defensive unit. Mourinho mentioned mistakes by his central defenders, though that was slightly unfair. What was most conspicuous by its absence was the collective defending Chelsea used to be so good at, the midfield screen ahead of the back four and the anticipation that used to stifle opposing attack before they had a chance to develop.

"

Alastair Grant/Associated Press

Stones’ versatility means he can step in and cover right-back, but if Mourinho is to go back in for the Everton defender, it’ll be to replace John Terry, who—like the rest of the Chelsea line—has been a little shaky.

Or, indeed, if the club’s scouts can pick up a player in the mould of Ivanovic, then it’ll be the next best thing.

Jon Super/Associated Press

The 31-year-old came to Stamford Bridge as a relative unknown but quickly established himself as one of the best right-backs in the division. And any young player with Chelsea on their back has got a great chance of doing the same.

It’s early days in the Premier League, but the signs are still worrying for Chelsea. They need defensive cover—that much is a given—but there’s still plenty more to worry about.

January’s activity could give us an idea of where Mourinho feels his squad is in terms of launching an assault on the title, and it would be far from a surprise to see him make heavy tweaks.