Chelsea Transfer News: Latest on Scott Dann and Riyad Mahrez Rumours

Chelsea are reportedly set to move for Crystal Palace defender Scott Dann, as they seek to bring in a long-term replacement for skipper John Terry. They are also said to be eyeing up a summer move for Leicester City's Riyad Mahrez.

According to Steve Stammers of the Daily Mirror, the Blues have been watching the centre-back throughout the course of the campaign.

Dann did agree a new five-year deal with the Eagles in the summer, but Chelsea are willing to double his £60,000 weekly salary in an attempt to lure him to Stamford Bridge, according to Stammers.

Terry is in the twilight of his career, but he is still showing his worth to the Blues with strong performances. As we can see here per the Premier League Twitter feed, he regularly chips in with goals too:

Stylistically, Dann is similar to Terry. Already this season the defender has notched three times, including crucial goals away at Everton and Liverpool.

Alex Livesey/Getty Images

He’d likely be an expensive acquisition for the Blues, though. Palace are a club keen on establishing themselves in the upper reaches of the Premier League and will not want to lose a player who is vital to their current cause. Unless, of course, they receive an offer that is simply too good to turn down. 

Mahrez on Chelsea Radar

GLYN KIRK/Getty Images

Chelsea are reportedly considering a £20 million move for Leicester man Mahrez in the summer, with the Blues said to hold a longstanding interest in the Algeria international.

Mahrez’s dazzling displays have helped the Foxes surge to the summit of the Premier League this season and his showings caught the attention of Blues owner Roman Abramovich and former manager Jose Mourinho, according to Harry Pratt of the Daily Star.

“With the Foxes riding high in the Premier League, the Stamford Bridge club know they have no chance of landing the France-born playmaker in the current window,” added Pratt. “But as long as he keeps performing to the level seen in the last six months, Mahrez will figure on Abramovich's shopping list in the summer.”

As noted here by Squawka Football, the 24-year-old’s scintillating form has tailed of somewhat in recent weeks:

As we can see here, his numbers this season put those accrued by Chelsea’s illustrious attacking midfielders to shame:

	Mahrez	Hazard	Willian
Apps (Sub)	20 (1)	17 (2)	19 (2)
Goals	13	0	3
Assists	7	2	3
Shots per game	2.6	1.2	1.6
Key passes per game	1.8	2.4	2.2
Dribbles per game	3.3	2.8	2

He’s the kind of player Chelsea could certainly do with. Eden Hazard’s drastic loss of form has left the Blues looking a little predictable going forward this term and a player like Mahrez, who possesses such ingenuity in possession of the ball, would add another dimension to their forward play.

PAUL ELLIS/Getty Images

At the moment, the Blues may not be that tempting a proposition for the player, though. Mahrez’s Leicester seem set to play in the Champions League next season after all, while Chelsea are still languishing in the bottom half of the Premier League.

It’s imperative the Blues put together a late-season surge if they’re to attract this calibre of player to the club.