Chelsea boss Antonio Conte is planning to spend big during the January transfer window and has targeted Brazilian duo Alex Sandro and Lucas Moura, as well as a number of former targets the club missed out on summer.
According to the Daily Mail, the Premier League champions have eyes on a number of players with Conte having told the club’s hierarchy that they risk being left behind by league leaders Manchester City.
Top of the 48-year-old Italian’s shopping list could be Alex Sandro from Juventus. Having been linked with a move for the Brazilian international for most of last summer, a switch failed to materialise for the left-back.
It is believed that whilst Sandro wanted to move to Chelsea, he was not keen to ‘force’ a move away from Turin, with Juventus themselves quoting a £60m for the 26-year-old defender. The Blues seem to lack cover for left-wing back Marcos Alonso, who has put in consistent performances this season. Concern remains that the Spaniard is beginning to feel the fatigue of a busy Christmas fixture list.
Sandro’s Brazilian compatriot, Lucas Moura is desperate to leave Paris Saint-Germain after slipping down the pecking order following the high-profile arrivals of Neymar and Kylian Mbappe in the summer. The £34.2m rated Brazilian has managed just 71 minutes of action this season – all from the bench and Conte seems to consider a move for the nippy winger.
Another player from the Ligue 1; Mouctar Diakhaby has impressed with his performances for Lyon this season. The towering centre-back, if signed in January should strengthen the Chelsea backline that has looked vulnerable at times this campaign.
With Alvaro Morata facing a heavy workload and Michy Batshuayi still not trustworthy, Chelsea are in dire need of a striker. Christian Benteke, who has an admirer in Conte, could be an option. Crystal Palace are highly dependent on the Belgian centre-forward’s goals in their bid to avoid the drop; so it’s not logical to expect a deal in January.
Last but not the least; Ross Barkley remains an exciting option for the Blues since his reported failed deadline-day switch from Everton in August. The 23-year-old playmaker, however, is yet to play this season for the struggling Everton due to injury. It remains to be seen if a move materialises in January.
