CHELSEA TRANSFER NEWS: Hulk, Fellaini, Falcao and Rondon Linked to Blues
The rich are apparently still getting richer as European Champion Chelsea are rumored to be adding to their already extravagant shopping list this summer.
Roman Abramovich appears to be sparing no expense at not only having a loaded squad but one to excite the fans at Stamford Bridge next season.
The 68th richest person in the world (according to a 2012 Forbes list), Abramovich has already added this year's top prize to his collection, signing Ligue 1 player of the year Eden Hazard for a reported £32 million. He has also added German International Marko Marin to his squad for a reported £8 million and given manager Roberto Di Matteo a two-year deal.
The ink had barely dried on those three deals, but Abramovich's checkbook is still open. Another Belgian may be following Hazard to London as Everton's Marouane Fellani has expressed his interest in joining the Blues, according to Metro.
Everton are coming off a seventh-place finish in the Premier League, and Fellani reportedly wants to play in the Champions League. Upon being asked about Chelsea, Fellani offered this quote to Belgian publication RTBF: They talked about me in Chelsea? If I had to go there, I would have several friends, there are many Belgians! It's good for the national team.
The 24-year-old defensive midfielder later added, If I have got to go, I will go. I am ambitious; I want to play in the Champions League or in the Europa League.
The fee for Fellani is speculated to be around £20 million, according to the Daily Mirror. Fellani would solidify Chelsea's midfield for years to come and would bolster a roster that probably could use an infusion of new and talented faces.
A midfielder is not Chelsea's number one need, though. Didier Drogba, who was the Blues' star performer in the Champions League win over Bayern Munich, won't be returning. With fellow striker Fernando Torres still struggling to return to form, Chelsea's priority is likely to obtain another pure goal scorer.
After it seemed inevitable last week that Brazilian international and Porto star Hulk would be joining Chelsea, recent news has had Chelsea looking elsewhere. The 25-year old forward is valued at £38 million, according to ESPN and Daily Mail, and his representative Teodoro Fonseca explained that his client has multiple options.
'The Blues are not the only European club interested and at the moment it all depends on Porto, said Fonseca. He has had three years of interest from big European clubs and he still plays in Portugal.
Hulk isn't the only attacker on Chelsea's radar, as the Blues have also been recently linked to Malaga's Salomon Rondon.
Both the Daily Mail and Metro reported that the 22-year-old Venezuelan has drawn interest from Chelsea scouts who watched his performance in a 2-0 loss to Chile on Sunday. Newcastle and Arsenal are also reportedly interested, but are likely to be less inclined to pay the reported £20 million asking price.
The Daily Mail reports that Chelsea value Rondon at only £10 million, so it will be interesting to see if Abramovich raises the bid.
Atletico Madrid's Radamel Falcao is also being targeted by Chelsea. The Colombian star is coming off an excellent La Liga season, which included 36 goals for the Europa League winners.
Atletico failed to qualify for the Champions League season, leading many to believe that Falcao, 26, could be drawn to Stamford Bridge by the allure of Europe's premier club competition
Falcao would be an expensive proposition for Chelsea. Atletico paid approximately £32 million for him last year and he is now valued at £50 million, a price that would turn away most clubs.
But with Abramovich eager not only to become the dominant side in Europe, but to do it in style, the prices of these players are probably the least of his worries.
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