Where will Sami Khedira be after the January transfer window…
Chelsea have reportedly edged ahead of Arsenal in the race to sign Real Madrid midfielder Sami Khedira, with the Daily Express suggesting that Blues keeper Petr Cech could be included as part of any deal to bring the German to Stamford Bridge.
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But with Jose Mourinho’s side already flying high at the top of the Premier League, do they need another highly-paid superstar clogging up their wage bill and demanding game time?
CaughtOffside counts down the player’s five potential post-January destinations, in order of which team most needs him. Click through the pages below to see where Khedira’s current employers rank, as well as Premier League duo Arsenal and Chelsea:
5) Bayern Munich
The German champions showed an interest in Khedira towards the end of the summer transfer window – detailed here by the Daily Mail. While they could rekindle said interest in January, it’s hard to see where he would fit into their team.
When it became apparent that Khedira was staying put in Madrid, so Munich instead moved for and signed his teammate Xabi Alonso, who has settled in well in Germany. Add in the likes of Philipp Lahm, Bastian Schweinsteiger and the albeit injured Javi Martínez, and they are already well set in midfield.
4) Chelsea
Like Munich, Chelsea already have an abundance of midfielders, with the partnership of Cesc Fabregas and Nemanja Matic proving dominant thus far. When facing a more challenging fixture, Mourinho does like to draft in a third central player – usually Ramires or John Obi Mikel.
While the World Cup winner would be a step up from that duo, he won’t be content with being on the bench for the remainder of the Blues games. Mourinho knows the player well from his Madrid days, and that could help him secure the signing, but there seems no real need.
3) Manchester United
As we all know, United have cash to burn, and demonstrated their spending power with a £150m summer spree. Manager Louis van Gaal was initially interested in Khedira at the start of the summer window, as reported by the Daily Mirror, but having added Ander Herrera and Daley Blind to his ranks, has already boosted his options in the holding role.
However, the Red Devils are still struggling to keep clean sheets, and have injury concerns over the aging Michael Carrick and Darren Fletcher. Players will need to go to make room for him at Old Trafford, but it could be well worth it.
2) Real Madrid
You cannot discount the player staying at his current club and seeing out his contract, which expires in the summer. He is able to talk to new clubs from January, and could hold off on a move if he is unsure – particularly if the club in question is not guaranteed Champions League football the following season.
Madrid themselves are blessed with a hoard of attacking players, but would perhaps regret losing Khedira, having already seen Alonso depart in the summer. His departure would certainly leave them short in holding players, capable of producing the goods in the big games.
1) Arsenal
The Gunners have struggled with injuries all season long, with captain Mikel Arteta a regular absentee. With Mathieu Flamini his only senior back-up, the club’s need for an experienced and high quality holding player is becoming more intense each and every day.
They were linked with the German throughout the summer, but were eventually put off by his wage demands and Madrid’s reluctance to sell. Plenty can change in the space of a few short months however, and could a move to the Emirates Stadium finally be on for Khedira in January.
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