Chelsea Plan Surprise Move For £20m Frenchman – Ramires Replacement

Mourinho will be in the market this summer, this time to inject youth into the squad, and upgrade a rotational player. Marseille’s Giannelli Imbula has been linked to Chelsea as a potential replacement for Ramires who has been linked away from the club. Reports state that Imbula carries a £25million price tag, and it might take some persuasion to get him to join Chelsea this summer.

Imbula was linked to Chelsea in 2013, and an agreement was actually reached on between the two clubs, but Imbula did not want to leave Olympique. Imbula’s dad and agent said he rejected the Chelsea move two years ago because he did not want Giannelli to “have a leash around his neck” at Chelsea. Although Imbula would not start many games if he was to be purchased, but he wouldn’t be loaned out multiple times. He would have to fill the shoes of Ramires, who is a utility holding-midfielder. Ramires only gets to see the pitch if Cesc Fàbregas, Nemanja Matić, or Oscar got injured. The same plan would most likely hold suit for Imbula, but being only 22 he has time to expand on his game.

Ramires has been good to Chelsea supporters this season, and we almost never hear him complain about playing time. Selling Ramires for a younger, unproven Imbula would be a mistake. Ramires is consistent, and can always be counted on by Mourinho. The Brazilian international has made 21 Premier League appearances for Chelsea this season, and he featured in five Champions League matches as well. Ramires has scored only one goal this season, but he has assisted four times, and created ten chances, as a holding midfielder

Chelsea has been linked to multiple center midfielders for this summer, including Juventus star, Paul Pogba, Koke, and Morgan Schneiderlin. These three players would be upgrades from Ramires, and would actually probably start at Chelsea. Schneiderlin and Pogba already have Premier League experience, so the transition of clubs would not be as difficult as Giannelli Imbula’s move would be.

It will be interesting to see who Mourinho brings in this summer, and who he sends packing away from Stamford Bridge.