Chelsea Transfer News: Latest on Marquinhos, Juan Cuadrado Rumours

Chelsea will reportedly target Paris Saint-Germain star Marquinhos in the January transfer window, as the Blues view the Brazilian defender as a more realistic option than Everton's John Stones.

That's according to French news outlet Le10sport (h/t Metro's Mark Brus), who believe the young stud will be targeted due to the poor form of veteran defender John Terry.

The 21-year-old centre-back is part of PSG's star-studded rotation at the position, along with compatriots David Luiz and Thiago Silva. Last season, he frequently played alongside the duo at the right-back position, but Ivory Coast international Serge Aurier has emerged as the club's top option out wide this season. So far, Marquinhos has started four Ligue 1 matches, per WhoScored.com.

The Brazil international is widely regarded as one of the world's best young defenders, which is why Les Parisiens spent £27 million to bring him to the French capital from AS Roma in 2013, per BBC Sport.

While he's not particularly tall or thickly built, he's a superb athlete with excellent vision for the position, and he uses patience and technique when defending, rather than blunt-force trauma. He led the Giallorossi defence despite his young age, and in Paris, manager Laurent Blanc trusts him enough to let him start over the more experienced Luiz and Silva at times.

The latter has struggled with injuries in the last two seasons, via Transfermarkt.com, and Luiz only just picked up a knee injury of his own, via Goal. Bleacher Report's Jonathan Johnson thinks PSG are stronger with Marquinhos starting over Luiz, so the injury won't matter all that much for the foreseeable future:

It's easy to look at Marquinhos' statistics, deduce he doesn't start every single match and assume he'd be open to a move to another top club, where he would have the chance to be an unquestioned starter.

But things aren't that simple with PSG. The current rotation has worked wonderfully, and it hasn't led to any open indications one of the three stars is unhappy with the system.

Of the three, Marquinhos is by far the youngest option and the one with the highest ceiling. He's the only player the French champions should be keen to hold on to, and given the high transfer fee they paid for him back in 2013, a January move could prove expensive―perhaps even more than a move for Stones.

Blues manager Jose Mourinho has a stud young defender waiting for his chance in Kurt Zouma, and a bigger role for the powerful Frenchman seems far more likely than a January move for Marquinhos, who doesn't look like he'll be leaving Paris anytime soon.

Juventus to Start Juan Cuadrado Talks

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According to Tuttosport (h/t Daily Star's James Phillips) a Juventus delegation will travel to London before the end of the international break to start negotiating a permanent move for winger Juan Cuadrado.

The Colombia international has been a smash hit at the Juventus Stadium since completing a loan move back to the Serie A, and with Cuadrado seemingly no longer in the Blues' plans, a permanent transfer seems like the logical next step.

Phillips suggests Chelsea could attempt to use the 27-year-old as a bargaining chip in negotiations for Paul Pogba, but that's unlikely. The France international is an entirely different class of player, and one the Italians will look to cash in on if he decides to leave, whereas the club has a backup plan in place for Cuadrado in the form of Domenico Berardi, via FourFourTwo's Adam Digby:

Even if Cuadrado stays in Turin, the Bianconeri are expected to activate the clause for Berardi. Either way, the Colombian isn't high enough a priority to be involved in discussions concerning Pogba.

That doesn't mean this is a transfer Chelsea should rush through.

Per Phillips, Cuadrado cost the Blues £23.3 million when he was signed from Fiorentina, and the club should move to recover as much as possible from that fee. Mourinho wants at least £14.5 million from the Italians, per the report, and such a price would be fair, based on what Cuadrado has shown so far.

While he's yet to score for Juventus, per WhoScored.com, he has added a whole new dimension to their attack. And if his success continues, he should net the Blues a nice fee from the Italians or another interested suitor at the end of this campaign.

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