Chelsea Transfer News: Albanian right-back being eyed, possible English striking talent and more - December 16, 2018

Life under Maurizio Sarri seems to have settled into a sort of stop-start rhythm at Stamford Bridge. After the heady early days where the Blues were neck-to-neck with Manchester City and Liverpool, the initial aim of a Top 4 finish now looks more realistic.

Having brought in just two players in the summer in Kepa Arrizabalaga and Jorginho (Mateo Kovacic is on-loan and Rob Green came on a free transfer), Chelsea should be active in the January transfer window.

The club and Sarri will be concerned by the very imbalanced nature of the squad with a surfeit of central midfielders and centre-backs. On the other hand, there is a distinct lack of quality across the team, a consequence of the club's scattergun approach to transfers in the last few years.

With the window open in 16 days time, lots of rumours have been swirling about the club's possible transfer plans. Here is a look at some of the stories making the news:

#1 Move for Napoli's Hysaj looms

Hysaj is being seen as the solution to Chelsea's right-back problems

One of the more underrated right-backs in world football, Albanian international Elseid Hysaj seems to be on his way out of Naples.

Contract renewal talks between the 24-year-old and Napoli have hit a brick wall with outspoken club president Aurelio De Laurentiis reportedly angry over the wage demands from Hysaj's entourage.

Despite his vow not to sell any player to Chelsea following the breakdown in the relationship between himself and Sarri, De Laurentiis is said to have changed his mind.

The Daily Mail is reporting that a deal could be done in January for the right-back to join Chelsea for a reported fee of £45million. One quirk which is also contained in the report is that the Blues could be willing to allow Hysaj finish the season with Napoli before linking up with his former manager for the 2019/2020 season.

#2 Callum Wilson interesting Chelsea hierarchy

Wilson is being eyed by the Blues

Chelsea has graduated quite a number of English talent from their academy in the Roman Abramovich era. However, only a select few have made it into the first team leading to a shortage of English talent in the team.

In a bid to address this, Sarri and transfer czarina Mariana Granovskaia have been looking at some English talent who could add quality to the team. Top of the list at the moment is Bournemouth's free-scoring striker Callum Wilson.

Alvaro Morata and Olivier Giroud's struggles in front of goal are well documented. The club is well aware of the need for a consistent 20+ goals striker to help fulfill its Premier League and European competition aspirations.

Getting a striker like that would cost an arm and leg. With other areas of the team also needing strengthening, Wilson has been seen as the ideal candidate to help plug the goals-for gap.

His English passport, knowledge of the Premier League, relative youth (26) and rumoured £30m price tag seems like a good deal for the Blues.

The Daily Express is claiming that Chelsea is very confident of snatching the Terriers' top goalscorer in January. This confidence is partly due to the excellent relationship between both clubs (the Blues sold Asmir Begovic and Nathan Ake to Eddie Howe's team).

#3 Chelsea could cash out on Hudson-Odoi in January

Hudson-Odoi (left) could be heading to Germany

Callum Hudson-Odoi is one player that has excited regular Chelsea watchers over the last 18 months. The England youth international has long been seen as one of the brightest talents to emerge from the club's academy in a while.

However, true to his nature and Italian roots, Sarri has hardly given the trio a look-in this season with the 18-year-old making just 4 appearances so far this season (All in the Europa League).

It has emerged that Hudson-Odoi could leave Stamford Bridge with certain German clubs like Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig supposedly pursuing the teenage forward.

The youngster's contract expires in 2020 and Chelsea could lose him for a minimal fee of 2m in 18 months time (UEFA Compensation fee). This means that the Blues hierarchy will be open to offers for the player in January.

The Daily Mail claims that £25m is the figure Chelsea will be looking at particularly if the Blues are to make good on their long-term interest in Borussia Dortmund's Christian Pulisic.