Juventus are reportedly “keen” on signing Inter Milan striker Mauro Icardi, a player who is said to have triggered the interest of Chelsea and Manchester United in recent weeks.

Bruce Archer of the Daily Express suggests the Serie A champions are “plotting a summer move” to lure Icardi to Turin. The 21-year-old is currently the division’s No. 2 scorer this season with 13 goals, eclipsed only by Juve frontman Carlos Tevez, per WhoScored.com. 

Archer suggests Icardi is being eyed as a replacement for Didier Drogba and potentially Loic Remy. It’s difficult to decipher how Jose Mourinho would flit between four strikers when he rarely deploys more than one at any given time, so any attacking arrival is likely to be met with someone being pushed out.

Drogba‘s age and diminishing effectiveness make him a prime candidate to depart, while it may be smart for Remy to move on in search of first-team football. The Frenchman has started just three Premier League matches this season, per WhoScored.com, all of which have been out of necessity when Diego Costa was either injured or suspended.

Icardi recently sat out of Inter’s 4-1 win over Atalanta due to illness. Despite the heavy victory, football writer Adam Digby noted how noticeable his absence was:

Mourinho will likely have to work extremely hard to land the player and satisfy UEFA’s financial fair play rules. Archer indicates Icardi will cost in the region of £30 million and that Manchester United are following his progress.

United could also stand in the way of Mourinho finally signing Real Madrid’s Raphael Varane, per the Daily Mirror, via Uche Amako of the Daily Express.

Amaka reports Varane is becoming “increasingly unsettled” with his bit-part role at the Bernabeu. He suggests United boss Louis van Gaal has identified the centre-back as an “attainable target,” particularly because a bid of £25 million “could tempt” Los Blancos to sell.

It seems unlikely such a little fee would capture a player of Varane‘s quality, though. Mourinho knows exactly what Varane is about—having signed him for Madrid—and previously suggested he is among the best young defenders in the world, alongside Chelsea’s Kurt Zouma. 

Ben Jefferson of the Express reported Mourinho‘s comments:

I think the French Federation should write me a letter to thank me because I think they have now the best two young central defenders in the world. I’m not saying the best because there are young, there are obviously end products, mature players 24, 25, 28, 30 years old.

But as young defenders can you imagine what Varane and Zouma can represent in football in a couple of years.

Mourinho recently tied up the future of another young worldbeater in the shape of Eden Hazard. The Belgian’s new five-and-a-half-year contract hasn’t stopped admiration pouring in from Paris Saint-Germain.

Colin Harvey of the Daily Star reports comments from Brazilian defender Thiago Silva. “He [Hazard] is not just good, he is very good,” said Silva. “If he really comes, [he] will be very welcome.”

Hazard recently confirmed he has never considered moving to the Parc des Princes. “Personally, there has never been anything with PSG,” he revealed to French television station TF1, per Ian Holyman of ESPN FC. “I knew from the start I wanted to stay (at Chelsea). I don’t want to move, I’m good here.”

WhoScored.com highlighted exactly why Hazard is important to Chelsea’s chances of success:

B/R UK’s Garry Hayes also believes the former Lille star is untouchable for elite clubs:

Chelsea and PSG come head-to-head on Tuesday night when the English side travel to France for the Champions League round-of-16 first leg. Both sides won their home ties when the pair met in last season’s quarter-finals, but a Hazard-inspired Chelsea have massively improved since then.

With players such as Icardi and Varane linked to a summer switch to Stamford Bridge, it’s not outlandish to suggest Mourinho‘s squad will keep improving across the next year too.

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