SIX midfielders to follow Cesc Fabregas to Chelsea

Jose Mourinho has already made a big splash in the transfer market with the signing of Cesc Fabregas, but could there be room for one more superstar in Chelsea’s midfield?

He handed Barcelona £30m for the Spanish playmaker’s services, but rumours have been swirling that he may be looking to add a central midfielder to take Frank Lampard’s role, whose contract was not renewed for next season. So, with that in mind, here are SIX midfielders who could follow Fabregas to Stamford Bridge before next season.

Koke

By adding Koke, Mourinho would be making his team the Premier League’s version of Atletico Madrid. Having already bought Diego Costa for £32m and committing to bringing Thibaut Courtois to Stamford Bridge next season, the 22-year-old would be the third Atletico player to join the Blues.

Given Koke’s experience playing with Costa, who scored 36 goals for Atletico last season, a reunion would make a ton of sense. But Atletico recently inked Koke to a contract extension that runs through 2019. It could be challenging to convince them to let him go after that, but every player, including Koke, can be had for a certain price.

Toni Kroos

Kroos is a player that would fit in so nicely with Chelsea, it almost makes too much sense. A central midfielder who prides himself on precision passing and superior ball control, Kroos has been keen on getting out of Bayern Munich and has hinted that a move to the Premier League would entice him.

Kroos has often been compared to Man United great Paul Scholes, who called Kroos the most complete central midfielder in the world. He prefers getting forward in the attack, something that Chelsea could accommodate by pairing him with either Ramires or Nemanja Matic, both of whom are defensive-minded players.

Paul Pogba

Rated as one of Europe’s 10 most promising players by The Guardian in January, Pogba has seen his stock soar even higher after his performance with France in the World Cup. The 21-year-old is a powerful, box-to-box defender adept at both attacking and in defence. He truly is a special talent, and one that just about any team in the world would want.

However, reports are surfacing that Juventus has placed a £60m price tag on him. Does Mourinho really want to break the bank on a player who has shown to have some attitude problems? Mourinho has shown the ability to handle big personalities before, and if there is anyone worth taking a gamble on, it could be this man.

Angel di Maria

Di Maria has grown tired of playing in the shadows of Madrid’s BBC (Bale, Benzema, Cristiano Ronaldo) attack, and reportedly has asked to be sold. Just about every time have been lining up for his services, and rightfully so.

The 26-year-old has transformed himself into a versatile player capable of playing in the middle or on the wing, something that Mourinho values greatly. Madrid have placed a £50m price tag on him, but the Argentine’s performance in the World Cup hasn’t done him any favours. Still, his talent cannot be ignored, and a move to the Premier League could happen sooner rather than later.

Sami Khedira

Another Real Madrid player heading to Chelsea? The 27-year-old holding midfielder would provide Chelsea with the kind of player they hoped they were receiving when they signed Ramires. Instead, Ramires’ inconsistent play has left a gaping hole in the middle of the pitch.

Khedira has recently fallen out of favour for Los Blancos, with Carlo Ancelotti electing to go with Luka Modric and Xabi Alonso over the German international in the centre of the field. Khedira has struggled to keep his discipline in the past, but is the kind of steady, ball-moving midfielder every team need.

Yaya Toure

One can dream, right? All joking aside, should Mourinho decide to shoot for the stars, snatching Toure from rivals Man City would be a great way to strengthen his squad while weakening the top team in the league.

After all, Toure is furious with the Man City bosses after they failed to wish him a Happy Birthday in the days after helping lead them to the league title. The noise surrounding a transfer for the 31-year-old has since quieted a little, but it would not surprise anyone to see it pick up again once the World Cup ends.