Chelsea Transfer News: Latest Rumours on James Rodriguez and Nelson Semedo

Cristiano Ronaldo will reportedly fight to keep Chelsea transfer target James Rodriguez at Real Madrid, while Manchester United are said to have agreed to a deal for Benfica's Nelson Semedo.

According to Spanish daily Marca (h/t The Sun's Anthony Chapman), Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane is open to selling Rodriguez at the end of the season, but Ronaldo will "kick up a fuss" to protect his good friend and keep him at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Rodriguez has been linked with a move to Chelsea for some time now, as his role in Madrid has drastically reduced in the last two seasons. The Colombia international was seen as the best young attacking midfielder in the world after the 2014 FIFA World Cup, but with Real, he spends more time on the bench than as a starter.

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Lucas Vazquez often plays with Ronaldo and Gareth Bale in the advanced roles, and star youngster Marco Asensio also appears to be ahead in the pecking order after his solid start to the season.

Rodriguez is still just 25 years old, and when he has played this season, he has held his own.

Here's a look at some of his highlights:

Zidane doesn't seem to trust the former AS Monaco man, however, and with Asensio flashing tremendous upside, the latter is likely seen as a future starter, further hampering Rodriguez's chances of returning to his former heights.

Interested clubs like Chelsea are banking on Rodriguez's ability to return to his old form with a spell of consistent playing time, and perhaps a change of scenery is all he really needs.

Ronaldo is still Real's most popular player, however, and if he doesn't want to see his friend leave the club, there's a good chance a sale won't be sanctioned.

Elsewhere, Noticias ao Minuto (h/t Metro's Louis Sealey) reported Manchester United have agreed to a £35 million deal for Semedo, who was also a target for the Blues.

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According to the report, Chelsea wanted to move for the player in January, but a deal never came to fruition. Benfica are already expected to lose centre-back Victor Lindelof in the summer, and the constant speculation surrounding Semedo had many thinking he would be next.

The reported £35 million fee is remarkably high, as Semedo has so far failed to become a regular for the Portugal national team. The 23-year-old has flashed plenty of potential with Benfica this season, but he's far from a sure thing.

Here's a look at some of his highlights:

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte has always prioritised signing strong full-backs who can move further up the pitch and play wing-back in a 3-5-2 or 3-4-3 formation, and Semedo certainly seems to fit the bill.

But at £35 million, one has to assume there will be more established options available during the summer, and until then, Victor Moses is more than capable of holding down the fort.