Chelsea have reignited their interest in full-back Alex Telles with an eye on a move in the January transfer window, according to the latest rumours.

The 23-year-old Brazilian, who is currently on loan with Inter Milan from Galatasaray, was a target for the Blues during the summer and will once again be courted in January, according to the Daily Express (h/t Metro‘s Tom Olver).

Telles was a favourite of manager Roberto Mancini during his time in Turkey, and the Nerazzurri boss brought him to Milan during the summer in a deal that includes a clause to make the move permanent.

After a slow start, his role with Inter has expanded, and he has made nine Serie A starts so far this season, per WhoScored.com.

An attacking full-back who can also play as a winger, he likes to get involved in the passing game and fires in crosses at a high rate. Here’s a look at some of his top highlights from last season:

Telles is more than an attacking dynamo, however. He’s an able defender who displays good vision and positioning skills, and he’s strong in the tackle as well.

Chelsea hardly have a need for another left-back, as Cesar Azpilicueta has a stranglehold on the position, but added depth is never a bad thing. Telles is only just starting to scratch the surface of his potential, and he could be a superb addition as both a depth option and developmental project.

His current loan deal with Inter greatly complicates matters, however, and a transfer seems unlikely. Inter are expected to activate the clause in his deal at the end of the season, and Galatasaray appear to have little say in what his future will look like.

That means the Blues would have to negotiate directly with Inter, who are in no position to sell the player in January as they don’t currently own the rights to him. A deal involving the three teams could be made, but it’s far more likely Chelsea will revisit their interest at the end of the season.

 

Juventus Eyeing Nemanja Matic

Italian daily La Gazzetta Dello Sport (h/t Daily Express‘ Joe Short) reports Chelsea star Nemanja Matic is on a long list of alternative targets for Juventus, who are still trying to move for Borussia Dortmund playmaker Ilkay Gundogan.

A deal for Matic would be a long shot, although Short suggests his poor form in the first half of the season has opened the door for an exit from Stamford Bridge. Matic and Cesc Fabregas have both struggled tremendously in the last few months, a big reason for the Blues’ poor results.

It’s safe to say sports writer Aaron Nagler isn’t a fan:

The Serb was one of the club’s top performers last season, however, and it’s hard to believe Chelsea would sell him at this point in time. Former manager Jose Mourinho is gone, and the arrival of interim manager Guus Hiddink has at least returned some optimism to the club.

The Dutchman isn’t a miracle worker, but one of his key tasks will be to get stars like Matic back to their best form. When he’s at his best, he’s one of the top defensive weapons in the Premier League, per Squawka Football:

The Blues did everything possible to bring him back to west London in 2014 after selling him to Benfica in 2011. It’s hard to believe they would repeat that mistake so soon, and in all likelihood, they won’t.

Chelsea do have a talented young replacement in the form of Ruben Loftus-Cheek, but for all of his potential, he still has a lot of growing to do before he can match up with the Serb when the latter is on form.

Per the report, Juventus are looking at a number of options, including Monaco’s Joao Moutinho and Sampdoria‘s Roberto Soriano, and those two would be far more realistic targets for the Bianconeri.

Matic is a key player for the Blues, and he won’t be sold before he has the opportunity to prove his struggles in the second half of 2015 were nothing but a fluke.

 

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