Chelsea have now made contact to sign a “special” Premier League forward, who is also being targeted by Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur.
Blues eyeing new signings after Rosenior’s arrival
Liam Rosenior has made it abundantly clear that he wants to compete for major honours as Chelsea boss, saying in his first interview: “As I told the players this afternoon, getting to this club is one thing, but I need to win with these players and staff.
“There is a culture of winning and those are the values and traditions I want to uphold.
“I know I need to win in the short term but also build for the long term.”
It has been a long time since the Blues were genuine contenders for the Premier League title, last winning the competition in the 2016-17 season, and they are no closer to the likes of Arsenal and Manchester City this season, having failed to win any of their last five games.
Rosenior didn’t take charge against Fulham on Wednesday night, but he is unlikely to be impressed by what he saw, with the 41-year-old’s side falling to a 2-1 defeat against their west London rivals.
Consequently, the manager may be keen to bring in some new additions this month, and targets have been identified in multiple positions, with Bayern Munich’s Kim Min-jae, AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan and Barcelona star Fermin Lopez all of interest.
According to a report from TEAMtalk, Chelsea are also assessing options from within the Premier League, and they have now opened talks with the agents of Wolverhampton Wanderers starlet Mateus Mane, informing them of their interest.
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The Blues have been linked with a few audacious moves since the manager’s arrival.
Wolves are unwilling to let Mane leave during the current transfer window, and he remains happy at Molineux for the time being, but there is growing interest from some top clubs, with Arsenal, Tottenham, Liverpool and Manchester United all keen.
The Blues have sent scouts to watch the teenager in action this season, and they are likely to have been impressed by what they’ve seen in recent weeks…
“Special” Mane tearing it up at Wolves
The Englishman is a centre-forward by trade, but he is also capable of playing in central midfield, scoring from that position in his past two matches, with Wolves defeating West Ham United 3-0 before going on to draw 1-1 with Everton.
Former manager Vitor Pereira always knew the Portugal-born ace would be able to make an impact at first-team level, saying after a 2-0 defeat against Brighton last season: “He’s a player with talent and for sure next season he’ll be in the first team with us.
“He’s not only a talent, he’s a worker, and in that moment of the game it was not just to give him the minutes, it was because I think he can do something because he’s special.”
It is still early days for Mane, and Chelsea fans may be getting sick of signing up-and-coming talents, rather than proven top-level players, but Mane clearly has a bright future ahead of him.
