It’s been another good week for Chelsea fans in the Football Transfer Tavern.
They saw their side move five points clear at the top of the Premier League over the weekend, following a stunning 5-0 win over Swansea City at the Liberty Stadium.
And they are just one Stamford Bridge win away from Wembley, after holding onto a 1-1 draw against Liverpool in the Capital One Cup semi-final first leg at Anfield on Tuesday.
And as if that wasn’t enough, reports emerged yesterday the Blues were in line to sign Fiorentina’s Colombian winger Juan Cuadrado, to add to what is already one of the most exciting front lines in Europe.
Although Viola boss Vincenzo Montella has since come out and quashed speculation that Cuadrado could leave Florence this month, you never quite know what is going to happen until that window slams shut until the summer on February 2nd.
With Jose Mourinho now seemingly the official spokseperson for Financial Fair Play, it may well have to be a case of one in and one out at Stamford Bridge.
Here we have identified five players who could end up potentially making way for Cuadrado’s arrival.
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Click on Jose Mourinho to reveal 5 potential Chelsea exits to make way for Cuadrado.
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Mohamed Salah
The Egyptian international only signed at Stamford Bridge for £11 million 12 months ago but has looked out of his depth ever since.
Salah is considered little more than a bit-part player in West London and has been linked with the likes of Inter Milan, Besiktas, Napoli and Roma.
Mourinho is unlikely to recoup the full £11 million he paid FC Basel for the 22-year-old’s services last January but getting him off the wage bill would be a start at least.
Andre Schurrle
The German has a decent goalscoring record for Chelsea and proved during his country’s successful World Cup campaign just what an asset he can be coming off the bench.
Schurrle may have hoped his performances in the summer would have earned him a more regular starting berth at Stamford Bridge but once again he has been consigned to the role of super sub.
He was linked with a move to Borussia Dortmund earlier in the season, with Chelsea reportedly keen to negotiate a deal that would have seen Marco Reus move in the opposite direction.
There would surely be a host of Bundesliga clubs queuing up to take the former Bayer Leverkusen man whilst Liverpool and Tottenham have also been linked.
Petr Cech
Jose Mourinho remains adamant Petr Cech will not be allowed to leave Stamford Bridge this month but in terms of Financial Fair Play, the 32-year-old could prove a useful asset in terms of the transfer fee he could recoup.
Cech is a proven world class goalkeeper spending the majority of his time sat on the bench, picking up a hefty wage in the process. Arsenal and Liverpool have both been linked whilst Paris Saint-Germain remain an option should Mourinho decide he doesn’t want to sell to a domestic rival.
Despite having been back in the side for three matches and keeping three consecutive clean sheets, Thibaut Courtois returned with a man of the match performance at Anfield on Tuesday, proving once again Cech will find it tough to gain his first team place back.
Ramires
Once considered a key man at Stamford Bridge, Ramires has been little more than a bit-part player this term.
This has been down to fitness issues in part but the fact John Obi Mikel was selected at Anfield on Tuesday tells us Ramires is behind the Nigerian international as well as Nemanja Matic and Cesc Fabregas in the pecking order.
Carlo Ancelotti is said to remain an admirer of the Brazilian and would reportedly be willing to offer big money in order to be reunited at Real Madrid.
Victor Moses
The Nigerian international is one of seemingly hundreds of players Chelsea have loaned out for the season, whilst the signing of Cuadrado would further underline the fact he has no future at Stamford Bridge.
Signed in the summer of 2012, Moses played his part in Chelsea’s Europa League success under Rafael Benitez but has yet to be given a chance under Mourinho.
He endured a dreadful loan spell at Liverpool last season and is currently doing okay for Stoke City who could probably sign him for half the £9 million Chelsea paid Wigan Athletic for him two-and-a-half years ago.
