Chelsea need £36m to reunite Mourinho with Real Madrid man
Published:Ask Jose Mourinho which of his former Real Madrid squad he’d most like to bring to Chelsea and he’d naturally have a tough task picking just one. If the latest transfer rumours are an indication of his answer, though, not many would predict the target.
Despite professing his utmost need for a new striker, Karim Benzema is not the name filling the column inches of recent reports. Nor is left-back Fabio Coentrao being linked to fill the likely-departing shoes of Ashley Cole.
Instead, holding midfielder Sami Khedira is the supposed apple of The Special One’s eye, with the German thought to soon be the recipient of a summer transfer bid from the Stamford Bridge club.
Mourinho’s fondness for the 27-year-old is obvious having signed the former Stuttgart man two months into his Bernabeu tenure for £10m, then never playing him less than 40 times in a season across all competitions during his three years in Spain.
The feeling is clearly mutual with Khedira openly describing himself as “one of Mourinho’s disciples” and a rekindling of his treasured bromance would give the German the chance of more regular playing time following an injury-ravaged campaign.
A knee injury has restricted the midfielder, who hasn’t started a Real Madrid match since the beginning of November, to just 15 appearances in all competitions this term and as a result he’s understandably slid down the pecking order.
Xabi Alonso, Luka Modric and Angel di Maria are the 4/7 Champions League favourites’ first-choice midfield trio, while young pretender Asier Illarramendi is usually the first cab off the rank.
In contrast, Chelsea’s midfield could be quite depleted come next season, with Frank Lampard’s expiring contract yet to be renewed and John Obi Mikel linked to a departure.
The chance of more regular playing time and a reunion with Mourinho is likely to have Khedira giddy with excitement, provided Chelsea stump up the £36m Los Blancos want for his signature.
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