Top 5 midfielders Chelsea could buy in January

Chelsea’s recent midfield problems have been well-highlighted. Despite having one of the best plethora of attacking midfielders/wingers in their ranks, they don’t have a midfield to back these players up. Too often the burden of creativity falls on the players in advanced positions, meaning they are under added pressure. This is a problem that needs to be looked into immediately. And while Jose Mourinho has clarified that Chelsea won’t be buying anyone in January, there is always a chance that he will feel the need to strengthen his squad.

Let’s take a look at 5 midfielders Chelsea could sign in January:

Adrien Rabiot

1) Adrien Rabiot – The talented young French midfielder has been linked with a move to a host of clubs that includes Chelsea and would supposedly cost as little as £10M. The 18-year old would be a good fit for a midfield double pivot given that he is adept at both breaking up opposition defences as well as kick-starting attacks. He is confident on the ball and can dictate games very well. The only problem with Chelsea signing him would be that he wouldn’t necessarily get first-team opportunities immediately as he is still not a developed player. He would, however, be a good future investment.

Paul Pogba

2) Paul Pogba – Another talented young French midfielder, he has hit his stride since joining Juventus and has established himself as a key player in Antonio Conte’s side. The 20-year old is a combative box-to-box midfielder who tirelessly contributes both in defence and attack. His ability on the ball also cannot be denied; for someone as strong as he is, he is extremely technical too. He wouldn’t come cheap and he would be cup-tied should Chelsea choose to sign him in January but he would be a good signing for the future as well as for helping Chelsea challenge in the Premier League.

Yohan Cabaye

3) Yohan Cabaye – The French midfielder was targeted by PSG earlier this year and although he has won his place back in the Newcastle side, he has made it very clear that he wants to play for a team that can offer him Champions League football. A deep-lying midfielder with an excellent passing range and the ability to find the back of the net on occasion, Cabaye could provide that creative spark from midfield that Chelsea so desperately need. He wouldn’t cost a lot of money and is already proven in England. Chelsea would do well to target him in January.

Nemanja Matic

4) Nemanja Matic – The former Chelsea man, who was used as a makeweight in the move to bring David Luiz to Stamford Bridge, has developed into one of the world’s most promising defensive midfielders. A destroyer in the middle of the park, the Serbian thrives on breaking up the oppositions play and can also play a few neat passes while posing a threat on goal from distance. He wouldn’t come on the cheap but his agent is Jorge Mendes, a man who is all too familiar with Chelsea and Jose Mourinho. Striking up a deal for Matic wouldn’t be much of an issue.

Blaise Matuidi

5) Blaise Matuidi – The French midfielder can operate either as a box-to-box or a defensive midfielder. He is an established part of PSG’s side but his contract runs out in the summer and he has chosen not to extend it. His ability to break up the play as well as bomb forward and attack whenever possible means he would be a valuable player to have in any side. He has said that he will respect his PSG contract and won’t leave in January but a decent offer would be enough to tempt PSG as they would rather recover something for him instead of losing him for free.