Chelsea Transfer News: Blaise Matuidi and Nicolas N'Koulou Eyed in Fresh Rumours

Chelsea are reportedly targeting Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Blaise Matuidi as a replacement for the likely outgoing John Obi Mikel.  

According to Italian outlet Tuttomercatoweb (h/t Rhys Turrell of the Daily Star), Blues boss Jose Mourinho is ready to let Mikel leave Stamford Bridge, and he wants to add Matuidi in his place.

Matuidi would undoubtedly be an upgrade on Mikel, who has played just over an hour of Premier League football this season, per WhoScored.com.

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However, the 28-year-old Frenchman is currently contracted to PSG until 2018 and would cost upward of £30 million, per Tuttomercatoweb (h/t Turrell). 

Chelsea should commit to a big-money move to snap up Matuidi, as their options in the centre of midfield are currently limited.

Mourinho has recently relied too much on Cesc Fabregas and Nemanja Matic, and it seems to be having an adverse effect, with the pair having both made poor starts to the 2015-16 season.

Matuidi is very experienced, defensively sound and his addition at Stamford Bridge could take the onus off of Matic and Fabregas.

He is also effective going forward and has netted twice and provided two assists already this season in Ligue 1, per WhoScored.com.

Meanwhile, French newspaper L'Equipe (h/t talkSPORT) reports the Blues are eyeing a January move for Marseille centre-back Nicolas N'Koulou.

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Chelsea's miserable start to the new Premier League season—which has seen the defending champions earn just seven points from six games—has been characterised by surprisingly poor defending.

Mourinho undoubtedly needs to add some fresh blood to his back four, and the 25-year-old could be available for only £7.2 million as his contract expires in the summer, per L'Equipe (h/t talkSPORT).

Marseille would reportedly be more willing to do business with Chelsea than let the Cameroonian go to one of their Ligue 1 rivals.

He would certainly bring some added verve to an ageing Blues defence which includes the rapidly declining John Terry, per the Sunday World's Kevin Palmer:

Despite his poor start to the season, which has seen him sent off, substituted and dropped to the bench, the 34-year-old Blues skipper is still confident of earning a year-long extension to his contract, per the MailOnline's Sami Mokbel.

Chelsea's League Cup clash away at Walsall on Wednesday could be Terry's opportunity to prove to Mourinho that he is still worthy of a starting spot.