Struggling Chelsea are reportedly eyeing a January move for Galatasaray playmaker Wesley Sneijder, while summer-signing Pedro could be allowed to leave Stamford Bridge.

According to Turkish outlet Fanatik (h/t Jamie Anderson in the Daily Star), Blues boss Jose Mourinho is interested in signing the Dutchman in the new year as he looks to salvage Chelsea’s season.

The 31-year-old Sneijder was a key part of Mourinho’s Inter Milan side that won the Champions League in 2010, and he is clearly still on good terms with the Portuguese having backed him recently, per Anderson:

“He is not only good coach, he’s also a good person. People love it when he fails, But he deserves respect for what has done.”

Sneijder is no longer the devastating creative force he once was—although he has netted three goals and provided four assists in the Turkish league this season per WhoScored.com.

But his experience and invention could still make him a useful addition to a Chelsea squad currently devoid of any proper leadership or inspiration in attack.

However, Sneijder only recently signed a contract extension to 2018 with Galatasaray and he will likely be too expensive for Chelsea to go in for him considering he is over 30.

The Dutch international is far from the only forward being targeted by Chelsea at the moment, with Bleacher Report’s Dean Jones reporting that they are interested in Atletico Madrid’s Antoine Griezmann and Napoli’s Gonzalo Higuain:

A combination of ineffective attacking performances and a consistently poor defence currently sees the defending champions sitting 16th in the Premier League.

A number of their major stars have under-performed this season, including Pedro, who has managed only one goal and one assist in eight league appearances since his summer arrival from Barcelona, per WhoScored. 

It is now being reported by Spanish outlet Don Balon (via Metro‘s Mark Brus) that the 28-year-old could be allowed to move back to Spain in the new year.

Chelsea will reportedly not block his exit if he wants to leave in January, although they will surely want to recoup as much of the £21 million they paid for him.

Pedro would not be the first major signing to fail to settle at Stamford Bridge, with Filipe Luis and Juan Cuadrado both having flopped in west London recently despite excellent performances elsewhere.

However, Pedro has barely been given a chance yet with the Blues, and it would surely be foolish for the Blues to let him go so soon given his experience and proven record as a title-winner. 

from Bleacher Report – Front Page http://ift.tt/1YeWzCS
via IFTTT http://ift.tt/eA8V8J