Chelsea Transfer News: Alex Teixeira Fee Set, Saido Berahino Rumours Emerge

Chelsea will have to part with at least £30 million if they’re to sign Shakhtar Donetsk’s midfield star Alex Teixeira in January, according to reports.  

Simon Johnson of the London Evening Standard noted the Blues have been fed the minimum valuation of the Brazilian, who has been in blistering form for the Ukrainian outfit. According to Johnson, Teixeira is one of Chelsea’s “main targets” in the midseason window, as they seek to get their campaign back on track.

Teixeira is definitely a player capable of exciting the Stamford Bridge faithful, as we can see here:

The 25-year-old has long been one of the standout players in the Shakhtar side, although the likes of Fernandinho, Willian, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Douglas Costa and Luiz Adriano have all been moved on to illustrious European clubs before him. Now, it seems as though the Blues have picked up on how talented a player he is.

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Blessed with a samba style of dribbling, Teixeira is a thrilling player to watch. He can take the ball in tight spaces, manufacture a yard and thread passes through to team-mates as well. What’s set the midfielder apart this season are the goals he has added to his game, though, per WhoScored.com:

Johnson pointed out Teixeira’s clinical finishing is one of the key reasons for Chelsea targeting him, and while they don’t envisage playing him up front, the Brazilian's nose for goals would take some of the pressure off of the rest of the team—most notably strikers Diego Costa, Loic Remy and Radamel Falcao.

It seems as though it’s the right time for Teixeira to move on. He’s a player who has outgrown the Ukrainian top flight, and as he approaches the peak years of his career, the chance to play for a team like Chelsea is an enticing one. While £30 million is a lot of money, the Brazilian has all of the qualities needed to spark the Blues’ campaign into life.

West Brom Make Saido Berahino Plans

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West Bromwich Albion are reportedly making plans for life after Saido Berahino, as speculation continues to gather pace over Chelsea's interest.

According to Steve Madeley of the Daily Express, the Baggies are lining up Charlie Austin and Matt Phillips as possible replacements for the young forward, who was involved in a bitter transfer row last summer. John Percy of the Daily Telegraph wrote earlier this week that the Blues are plotting a £20 million bid for the forward in January.

As WhoScored.com illustrate here, despite his glittering reputation as one of English football’s best prospects, it’s not been the best season for Berahino:

Manager Tony Pulis has rotated him in and out of the side in the wake of the summer’s furore, when Berahino claimed on social media he would never play for the club again. It seems inevitable that teams like the Blues will make a play for the forward in the window as a result; although, as noted by Percy, Tottenham Hotspur are long-term admirers of the 22-year-old.

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Berahino would definitely provide Chelsea with a flash of attacking dynamism which has been scarce during this campaign. As we can see here, courtesy of Sky Sports News HQ, goals have been very tough to come by in the Premier League for Jose Mourinho's men so far:

If West Brom were happy to let Berahino leave for the Blues, it’d leave the player with a tricky decision. Undoubtedly, the chance to join the champions is something that’d appeal to him, but it’s tough to see exactly where he would fit into the team once Chelsea do haul themselves out of this slump.

Mourinho will know he needs to make some alterations in order to shake things up, but typically, he prefers a bullish, physical centre-forward at the point of the attack in a one-striker formation. They’re principles which don’t seem tailor-made for Berahino’s attributes, and therefore, the youngster should weigh up his options carefully should Chelsea come calling.