Chelsea are plotting a £50 million swoop for Marseille midfielder Giannelli Imbula and FC Porto defender Eliaquim Mangala, according to the Metro. Blues boss Jose Mourinho is keen to strengthen his side in the New Year and has identified the pair as the players his squad needs. Porto Centre-back Mangala had been linked with rivals Manchester United over the summer, but a move failed to come to fruition, with the English champions reportedly unwilling to pay his £37 million buy-out clause. And while Mourinho has also balked at that fee, he won't be dissuaded so easily and is hoping to use his contacts in Portugal to negotiate a deal closer to £25 million. The 'Special One' also has his eyes on Marseille's Imbula, with the midfielder valued at the same amount by the Europa League winners. Chelsea have an embarrassment of riches in midfield but Marco van Ginkel is out for the rest of the season and the move for Imbula will raise fresh questions over Juan Mata's future. Mata has yet to play a full 90 minutes of league football this season and was hauled off on the hour mark during Chelsea's win over Cardiff at the weekend to be replaced by Oscar.
Joseph is an accredited football journalist and has interviewed nearly all of the current 20 Barclay's Premier League managers. He is also a correspondent for Bleacher Report and has written for Caught Offside and Give Me Football.
