Our resident Chelsea supporters in the Football Transfer Tavern have spent all week trying to shy away from the internet that is of course jam-packed with stories regarding the future of Jose Mourinho.
If you had said to Blues supporters back in May that by December, the same team would be hovering close to the Premier League relegation zone, they would’ve looked at you as if you were mad but that is the dim reality for the men from West London.
With bragging rights over just Arsenal – that hardly changes – to shout about this term, the bar has been a solemn place for Blues supporters to enjoy a beer with jibes from rival fans on a daily basis at present.
While Mourinho has previously noted that he won’t be asking Roman Abramovich for funds to sort the current mess out in January, the Portuguese boss’ singling out of players who haven’t been up to task recently suggests otherwise.
The names Cesc Fabregas, Branislav Ivanovic, Nemanja Matic, John Terry, Eden Hazard and Diego Costa have been particularly poor so far this season and to wave goodbye to the opportunity of bringing in fresh blood in January would seem foolish to us.
With even the likes of West Ham United’s Andy Carroll having a pop in midweek claiming Chelsea aren’t too good to get relegated this season, something needs to change for the Blues and fast.
So here’s five potential January signings that Chelsea simply must attempt to buy at some point or another next month.
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Click on the image below to reveal the five players Chelsea must attempt to sign in January.
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Graziano Pelle
At the start of the season, Chelsea fans would’ve laughed off talk of an ageing Graziano Pelle joining the Blues’ frontline with the quality already in their squad but right now, he looks a sensible purchase.
Blues supporters have to realise that times have quickly changed with the club being in desperate need of players who actually possess a burning spirit to succeed.
In fairness to 30-year-old Italian international Pelle, he has looked an incredible difficult customer to handle in his time in the Premier League so far with the former Feyenoord man having scored 18 league goals in 49 appearances since 2014.
What’s more, Chelsea and Jose Mourinho in particular has forged a career out of playing off a big target man in Didier Drogba so replacing the uninterested Diego Costa with this man in the starting line-up could prove a left-field signing that just may come to fruition.
Seamus Coleman
As far as premature transfer rumours go, Metro‘s Wednesday scoop that claimed Seamus Coleman is on the verge of a January switch to Chelsea has to be right up there.
Coming completely out of the blue, the reports claim the Republic of Ireland international is just one step away from becoming Jose Mourinho’s first January signing with talks between both clubs at an advanced stage.
But in reality, 90 per cent of our tavern regulars are sceptical given the fact Everton were hardly impressed about Chelsea’s interest in John Stones back in the summer.
Having proved a tough nut to crack in terms of clubs landing the Toffees’ better players, this one seems a long shot but what we’re saying is that it makes sense on paper.
With Branislav Ivanovic now looking past it at 31 and Baba Rahman having done little to impress at at left back, there’s space for another top quality full back and Coleman certainly fits the bill as an exciting attacking type on the right side.
Alex Teixeira
Whereas the Seamus Coleman talk looks premature, the latest news on Shakhtar Donetsk’s Alex Teixeira looks more realistic.
We read in The Independent this past week that Chelsea are in talks to sign the 25-year-old attacking midfielder but they will have to break the bank to sign him with the Ukrainian giants pushing for close to £30 million for his transfer fee.
Most definitely the latest top quality player to roll off the Shakhtar production line after Willian and Douglas Costa, Teixeira is crucially a goalscorer with 26 goals in 26 games already this season.
Considering fellow Brazilian Oscar is a dim shadow of his former self nowadays and is still interesting Juventus, Teixeira could be a fantastic replacement for him this January.
Bojan
Perhaps signing Premier League players is the best way for Chelsea to get out of the current mire and this man Bojan is one of the latest to be linked with a Stamford Bridge switch.
Metro have recently referenced Spanish reports that claim the Stoke City forward is seriously interesting the Blues having rebuilt his reputation in his time spent at the Britannia Stadium so far.
While the one-cap Spanish international will be grateful for his spell spent at Stoke City, you could imagine the Potters selling him for a handsome fee and lets be honest, Chelsea have the cash to do it.
Given Eden Hazard and Pedro’s struggles this term, Bojan is a diminutive player in a similar mould to the Belgian and Spanish internationals and would be ready to slot straight into the Blues’ starting line-up right away although the only thing that must be said is that the former Barcelona man is injury prone himself.
Saido Berahino
Back in mid-November, we read in The Telegraph that Chelsea had added £20 million-rated Saido Berahino to their list of January transfer window targets.
For West Bromwich Albion’s last three Premier League fixtures, the England Under-21 international has racked up exactly ZERO minutes on the field with Salomon Rondon getting the nod for Tony Pulis up top.
We actually think the Baggies could well be preparing themselves for Berahino’s exit having clung onto him in the summer after resisting overtures from Tottenham Hotspur.
But right now, Berahino looks more dispensable than before with Albion boasting Rickie Lambert and Victor Anichebe too.
Lets not forget, Berahino has already proved he can score against the best sides in the Premier League and we think that given Diego Costa, Loic Remy and Radamel Falcao’s woes, signing the young striker isn’t the worst idea in the world.
