Chelsea keen to keep defenders as they chase Tchouameni in January

Aurelien Tchouameni is one of the players Chelsea want to sign during this window.

The winter transfer window is halfway through, yet the big guns who want to bolster their thinning squads decimated by Covid-19 and injuries are still dithering in the market. Big sales rarely occur in the January window, but some teams are keen to tie down some players for the summer.

Chelsea have many troubles plaguing the team, not on the pitch but off it. Thomas Tuchel is having a torrid time convincing some of his players to renew. The Lukaku fiasco also destabilised the team, but the blues have remained resolute in their objectives.

With eyes on a few of their players, Chelsea wants to restock this January and put themselves in good stead to challenge for titles.

How busy can Chelsea be with the chequebook?

It should be a busy month for Chelsea as they fight for the Premier League title. The London club is a few paces behind league leaders Manchester City but has personnel issues that they intend to correct this January.

Ben Chilwell is out for the remainder of the season after an ACL tear, and a torn hamstring has ensured that Reece James will be out for several weeks. It is a worrying situation for Thomas Tuchel, who is keen on signing at least one full-back. Asides from a full-back, Chelsea have also been linked with players in other positions. The question is, how deep can Abramovich dip into his wallet to bring in players in January?

On another front, Chelsea may lose four defenders good enough to walk into any team in the world. Thiago Silva, Antonio Rudiger, Cesar Azpilicueta and Christensen are all coming to the end of their contracts and have not committed to renewal.

Players on the horizon

Chelsea are looking to bring in one marquee signing this January. They are interested in a player that does not fall within the purview of their immediate needs, but the London club still see him as an attractive option. Chelsea are keen on signing Frenchman Aurelien Tchouameni.

The 21-year-old, who has already captained Monaco, is wanted by several clubs. Liverpool are one of the clubs that have shown interest in the defensive midfielder. Monaco are not keen to sell, but Chelsea believes they can get their man.

According to Sports Illustrated, as revealed by Football.London, there were talks between Chelsea and the midfielder's entourage, but nothing came off it. Chelsea had to settle for Saul Niguez from Atletico Madrid.

Meanwhile, Barcelona is keen to sell full-back Sergino Dest. Amid links to the American, the Catalan giants are ready to accept a figure as low as £16 million as they look to free up space in their team for new signings.

Finally, according to German outlet Bild, Borussia Dortmund have joined the race to snap Andreas Christensen from Chelsea. With the player’s contract coming to an end, Chelsea are keen to get the Dane to renew at Stamford Bridge.