“All their plans are in the early stages, and no contact has been made with clubs,” the report says. “Chelsea’s plans will also depend on who they can attract as manager –- hopes of luring Barcelona’s Pep Guardiola remain slim -– and whether the club qualifies for next season’s Champions League.
“But owner Roman Abramovich is prepared to spend big again, if he can get deals agreed, to make Chelsea more competitive.”
A move for any of the four players is wildly speculative at this point. And the money it would take to complete such signs would stretch even Chelsea’s considerable resources.
The report quoted a price of around £83.6 million ($133.2 million) to sign Ronaldo and Higauin. It’s unlikely Real Madrid would sell either of its top attacking talents.
Napoli is enjoying one of the best moments in club history. Along with Marek Hamsik, Lavezzi and Cavani are two of the club’s famed “Three Tenors,” who have taken it to the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League and the final of this year’s Italian Cup.
It’s likely that Napoli will qualify for next season’s Champions League, and it will need Cavani and Lavezzi to compete with Europe’s elite. The report quotes a price of around £58.5 million ($93.2 million) that Chelsea would need to meet in order to capture the Napoli pair.
Chelsea’s grand transfer plans highlight the fact that the veteran core that lead the club in its “golden era” is past its best. Abramovich hired Andre Villas-Boas to begin a transition phase, but fired him because it was looking like the Blues would miss out on next season’s Champions League. Interim boss Roberto di Matteo could guide the club to a top-four finish, but it would not lessen the need to begin a project of rebuilding the squad.
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