Chelsea are still hoping to land Real Madrid midfielder Sami Khedira, according to a report published in The Telegraph. The paper is claiming that the Blues are ready to offer the oft-injured midfielder £100,000 per week, a sum that Schalke and other interested German sides would be unable to match.
Khedira, if healthy, would be a fantastic addition to any squad in Europe. Health, unfortunately, is the biggest issue with the German international. He's been ravaged by knee issues over the past several seasons, and relying on the Khedira to stay fit for an entire season would be nothing short of madness. At Chelsea, however, Khedira would likely be counted on more as quality depth than as a fixture in the starting eleven.
When healthy, Khedira is the exact sort of player that Jose Mourinho typically calls on against tougher competition. While he doesn't add to the attack in the way Cesc Fabregas does or possess the non-stop running of Ramires, the Real Madrid man offers positional discipline and a well-rounded skillset that neither of the aforementioned pair can boast.
While signing Khedira on a free transfer would seem to be a solid, sensible move for a club that's been short on midfield depth this season, it would also likely signal an end to our pursuit of Juventus star Paul Pogba. It's hard to imagine space for both the Frenchman and the German even without taking Ruben Loftus-Cheek into consideration, unless players such as Ramires and Oscar are sold to make way. Chelsea are very likely to be spending big on a player or two this summer, but if they add Khedira on a free transfer, that money will likely be used on the wings, at striker, or in the center of the defense as opposed to the problematic midfield.
At this point, it's hard to say if this rumor has substance, or if it's simply noise being leaked by Chelsea while they negotiate for other, healthier targets. While I enjoy watching Khedira play, his knee issues really have me hoping it's the latter.