Chelsea Transfer News: Thiago Maia Interest Ahead of January, Latest Rumours

Chelsea will reportedly "revive their interest" in Santos starlet Thiago Maia in January, as the club is said to be preparing a £15 million offer for the Brazilian. 

According to Simon Jones of MailOnline, the Blues and Santos discussed a possible transfer in July, but the Brazilians were reluctant to sell in the middle of their domestic campaign. They ended up losing Gabriel Santos to Inter Milan, and Santos couldn't afford to let another key player walk.

Maia has a contract until 2019, and following the sale of Gabigol, Santos are expected to fight hard to keep him. 

The Guardian's Fabrizio Romano also believes Chelsea will push for the 19-year-old, but he doesn't think a move will be straightforward:

Plenty of rumours linking the youngster with a move to London surfaced during the summer, and Santos President Modesto Roma reportedly travelled to England to have discussions with several Premier League clubs regarding the midfielder and Gabigol, per Nizaar Kinsella of Goal.com.

The same report stated the Premier League clubs weren't as interested in signing the duo as some other teams on the continent, with Paris Saint-Germain said to be the favourites to land Maia. 

Maia has been Brazil's top young playmaker in midfield for the last two years, standing out for his incredible range, quick feet and ability to slide into the box late and be a factor in front of goal. Here's a look at some of his highlights:

He's a key contributor for Santos, who have lost three of their last four matches and have dropped out of the top spot in the Brazilian league. The club is feeling the immediate effects of the Gabigol sale, and unless they can turn their season around, they'll be very wary of another sale in January.

Perhaps the Blues can swing a deal like Manchester City's for Gabriel Jesus, in which the midfielder is remaining on loan with his current club until he's ready to make the move to Europe. Maia could use some more seasoning, and Santos have a superb track record when it comes to talent development.

Martin Meissner/Associated Press

Elsewhere, Chelsea manager Antonio Conte has reportedly turned down the chance to sign former Juventus defender Martin Caceres, who is currently a free agent, per Jones. The Uruguayan was a success under Conte in Turin but has struggled with injuries for years, which played a key part in Conte's decision.

Instead, the Blues will keep a close eye on Hoffenheim's Niklas Sule, who is also a Liverpool target. Sule was one of the breakout performers of the 2016 Summer Olympics, and while there was plenty of speculation surrounding his future, his agent, Karlheinz Forster, told Bild (h/t ESPN FC's Stephan Uersfeld) he wanted to stay with Hoffenheim for one more season.