Chelsea Transfer News: Blues to Rival Arsenal for Thomas Muller, Latest Rumours

Chelsea and Arsenal are both reportedly ready to make a move for Bayern Munich forward Thomas Muller in the January transfer window.

According to Darren Lewis of the Daily Mirror, the two Premier League sides, as well as Liverpool, made an inquiry to Bayern about signing the Germany international in the summer, but he ended up staying in Bavaria.

Now, the two London outfits are said to be ready to move for the player again in the midseason window.

"Muller's situation at Bayern was uncertain at the start of the summer after an underwhelming campaign last season," Lewis noted. "But the German champions were unwilling to sell."

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Formerly a crucial part of the Bayern side, Muller's role has diminished in importance under Carlo Ancelotti. The coach has utilised Thiago Alcantara in a supporting role to striker Robert Lewandowski at times, while the arrival of James Rodriguez means the 27-year-old has even more competition for a starting spot.

Last term his goalscoring suffered, netting just five times in the Bundesliga. However, as noted by Squawka Football, he was one of the most creative players in the competition:

Still, it's becoming difficult to see where Muller fits into this Bayern side. The German champions have operated with a sole striker, two wide players and a midfield trio in the main under Carlo Ancelotti. It doesn't necessarily leave an ideal spot for Muller, who, while versatile, is at his best as a split striker.

When he is deployed in that particular position, he can be effective. Muller is clever in his movement, able to find spaces outside and inside the penalty area. His ability in the air, finishing skill and link-up play make him a tough man to contain at his best.

And while he may not be a guaranteed starter in this regime, Ancelotti has used him regularly, as noted by OptaFranz:

While plenty of his skills are cerebral, Muller is not a player to shirk physical battles, and it'd be easy to see him blossoming in English football. In the 3-4-3 setup utilised by the Blues under Conte, he's someone with the quality to slot into any of the attacking positions.

It'd be galling for the player to leave Bayern Munich given his longstanding affinity with the team. Recently, the club's Twitter account gave a reminder of his debut nine years ago:

Still, if Muller finds himself down the pecking order, the chance to move for regular football may appeal to him in January. Especially given he will be keen to play a starring role for Germany at the FIFA World Cup next summer.

The forward has always been a determined character, though, and with that in mind, despite the fierce competition for places in Bavaria, it'd be no surprise to see him force his way into the starting XI again in the weeks to come.