Jose Mourinho has earmarked Javier Pastore as a possible Juan Mata replacement…
Chelsea are set to bid for PSG’s Argentine playmaker Javier Pastore when the transfer window reopens in January, reports the Express.
The 24-year-old joined the Parisian Ligue 1 champions from Italian club Palermo for a whopping £32m fee in 2011, and despite enjoying a productive first season, he has largely failed to justify the enormous fee.
Under new boss Laurent Blanch, Pastore is only a fringe player, meaning the Premier League giants could take advantage of his unrest and offer him a way out of Paris come January.
Arsenal enquired about his availability in the summer, but were turned away – meaning Chelsea could leapfrog them in the race for the mercurial midfielder’s signature.
Former French midfielder and Tottenham star David Ginola reckons the Argentine will seek a move away from the club in January if he isn’t given the playing time he feels his talent deserves.
“If he doesn’t play until Christmas he will probably ask for a move in the winter transfer window. I’m pretty sure about that,” said Ginola.
Chelsea’s interest could signal the end of Juan Mata’s time at Stamford Bridge. Despite being Chelsea’s best player for the past two seasons, Jose Mourinho bizarrely doesn’t rate him – and has made young Brazilian Oscar his first-choice no.10. Mata has only made one start this season, and was hauled off against Everton during his side’s 1-0 defeat last week.
Interestingly, PSG are reportedly interested in offering Mata a way out of the the Premier League giants in time for next summer’s World Cup in Brazil, and a blockbuster swap deal could be on the cards this winter.
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