Chelsea plot transfer targets

Thursday, 29/07/2010

An unusually quiet transfer window at Stamford Bridge could come to life this coming month, as Carlo Ancelotti bids to strengthen his Premier League champions.

Despite being second only to Man City in terms of spending power in the transfer market, the Blues' only signing of note so far has been the £5.5m acquisition of Liverpool midfielder Yossi Benayoun.

Michael Ballack, Joe Cole, Juliano Belletti and Miroslav Stoch have all left the club, while Ricardo Carvalho has admitted that he wants to be reunited with Jose Mourinho at Real Madrid.

One factor affecting Ancelotti's plans is the new Premier League ruling that dictates that at least eight of Chelsea's 25-man squad must be 'homegrown'.

That means they must include eight players over the age of 21 who were trained in England for at least three years prior to their 21st birthday.

At current, the Blues have exactly eight qualifying players, but that would mean naming the likes of Michael Mancienne, Jack Cork, Scott Sinclair and Ryan Bertrand as part of their first-team squad.

Cork, Bertrand and Mancienne have all spent the last four seasons out on loan, while Sinclair has been shunted out for the last three years.

Clubs are allowed to use an unlimited number of Under-21 players, but they won't count towards the homegrown quota – Daniel Sturridge, for instance.

The other four homegrown players are Ashley Cole, John Terry, Frank Lampard and Ross Turnbull.

By comparison, Man United have 17 players eligible for their homegrown rota!

Despite the concerns over the new legislation, Ancelotti has insisted that the young players involved can make the step up to Premier League level, and has focused on primarily foreign targets.

Who are Chelsea after?

* Ramires: 23-year-old Benfica midfielder has been widely linked with a £17m switch.

* Neymar: Another Brazilian, the 18-year-old sensation is highly coveted.

* David Luiz: A third Brazil player, the Benfica defender is being lined up to replace Carvalho and cover for Alex's absence.

* Neven Subotic: Dortmund centre back is another defensive option and is likely to be cheaper to attain.

* Fernando Torres: Chelsea haven't ruled out a mega-money move for the Liverpool forward.

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